Life's a Dance
by 123Fanfics
Summary: ScarletVision AU. When Vision gets dragged along to the college theatre by Tony to help Pepper with a technical problem, he doesn't expect to meet an incredibly beautiful yet shy girl by the name of Wanda. After a tragic childhood and tough adolescence, Wanda lets the power of dance guide her through her lowest points, and eventually towards love.
1. Chapter 1

Vision had never stepped foot in his college's dance theatre before today. Confident, extroverted people stepped foot in here; representing everything Vision was not. He liked to keep to himself, pour his knowledge into coding and anything technical. That was the only reason he was at the theatre today, to fix something technical. His best friend Tony's girlfriend Pepper had called him asking him to come look at the sound system in the theatre. Tony could have fixed the problem easily himself, however, being the confident guy he was, knew there would be girls in the theatre; deciding to act like the selfless wingman for his best pal. When the duo walked in, Pepper immediately sprang to her feet and greeted her boyfriend with a kiss while Vision stood behind; looking anywhere else but at the couple. It's not that he felt awkward around them, he just wished he had that confidence to go after women like Tony did.

"Thank goodness you're both here, we seriously need to get this routine finished, and it's not good enough playing the song on our phones" she explained, gesturing to the sound box up the stairs at the back of the theatre.

"Well it's your girls' lucky day, I've got just the man" Tony grinned and smacked Vision on the back of his shoulder, bringing him out of his thoughts. The blonde haired man just nodded and headed up the stairs with Tony. Vision busied himself under the ledge that held the audio mixer while Tony just stared out the window towards the stage.

"Are you going to help or stare at your girlfriend?" Vision questioned.

"Stare at my girlfriend" he replied bluntly, causing Vision to roll his blue eyes. He soon identified the problem, someone had clearly been moving stuff around and plugged whatever cable fit into whatever port.

"Can you ask Pepper if anyone has been up here?" Vision called out from under the ledge. Tony repeated the question as Vision stood up and looked out.

"Yeah someone was up there yesterday after we left, have they broken something?"

"No, but they were clearly in a hurry to complete their task. Don't worry, I've figured it out" he smiled down at the girls, two he'd never met before, before returning to the job.

"Told you I have connections" Tony winked, smirking when Pepper sent him a look he knew too well.

Within minutes Vision had the cables in the correct ports and turned the mixer on, pressing play and grinning when sound emitted from the speakers. The girls squealed in delight while Vision and Tony headed back down to the stage.

"Vision you're our hero" Pepper gave him a warm hug before turning around and gesturing towards the girls.

"By the way, this is Hope and Wanda. Girls, this is Vision" the blonde woman introduced him, and immediately Vision's eyes were drawn to the girl identified as Wanda. Her brunette hair was intricately braided twice and her attire was slightly more conservative than the other girls. Both Hope and Pepper were in sports bras and leggings, whereas Wanda had opted for a grey mid-sleeved crop top, showing only part of her clearly toned stomach. She smiled kindly at him, but not saying a word.

"Nice to meet you both" he smiled at both girls pleasantly.

"How long are you gunna be, may as well wait for you" Tony offered with his signature smirk.

"At least an hour, maybe more. You'll be bored" Pepper tried to argue, but she knew her boyfriend.

"That's OK, Vision and I can do project work. Carry on as if we're not here" he practically dragged Vision along with him, settling at the back of the theatre while pulling his laptop out of his bag.

Wanda lived in the dance theatre. If she wasn't in psychology lectures for her degree, she was in the theatre or studio rehearsing. She didn't have a lot of friends; adding only her twin brother Pietro and roommate Natasha Romanoff to Pepper and Hope. She didn't have time to make friends, let alone think of anyone else to become more than that. Both Pepper and Hope had boyfriends, and her brother had a different girl in his bed every two weeks. But Wanda wasn't that confident, that comfortable in her own skin to allow anyone else to admire her. However, there was something about the guy Tony Stark brought with him. As they continued to rehearse, she couldn't help but shift her gaze over to the blonde haired man slouched over his laptop; typing furiously. Although she kept up easily and didn't miss a step, she couldn't help her eyes when they took breaks to discuss the next part of the choreography. She suddenly became conscious of her exposed stomach, pulling her top down every other move in an attempt to cover it. Pepper hit play again on the remote, starting the song from the beginning and Wanda forgot the world around her. She followed Pepper's lead as she was front and centre, staying in sync with both girls and letting the music take her. They all decided to try a bit of improv for the last few counts, and Wanda suddenly had the urge to throw in some of her best moves. Wanda would like to say she was an all-rounder, but turns were her thing; and she was always taught to improv with your strongest moves. That's all it was, right? Certainly not to impress anyone…

Vision stared in amazement. How could someone possibly turn that many times without losing balance? He barely registered the music, someone talking about being called señorita, as all his senses were focused on her.

"She's good huh?" Tony commented, nudging him in the side. Vision nearly dropped his laptop at the sudden movement, clearing his throat as he righted himself.

"Who, Pepper? Yes she is" he answered, focusing again on his laptop.

"I didn't need your confirmation for that, of course Pepper's good. I was on about Maximoff" Tony elaborated, smirking as Vision's cheeks turned red.

"I wouldn't know what's good and what's bad when it comes to dance" the blonde shook his head, as if shaking his thoughts away, and tried once again to focus.

"Can you do that?" He pointed over to Wanda who had just performed a triple pirouette without a single wobble.

"Well no but-"

"Then she's good. I heard she's single too"

"Tony! Stop it" Vision ended the conversation, not wanting to discuss anything of the sort with him. Before Tony could argue however, the music stopped and the three girls climbed down from the stage, Wanda and Hope gathering their things while Pepper skipped over to the boys.

"You ready to go?" She asked, biting her lip at her boyfriend.

"Always" Tony took her hand and slung his bag over his free shoulder, Vision following behind. The five students walked out of the theatre and headed towards their dorms. Hope, Pepper and Tony fell easily into conversation, while Vision and Wanda fell in silence next to each other; happy to listen to their friends. That is, until Vision took the plunge and spoke to her directly.

"So erm… What's your major?" He asked. Not the most exciting topic, but a good ice-breaker. Wanda turned to look at him, her green eyes wide in surprise that he was talking to her.

"Psychology, how about you?" She returned the question, her voice soft and her accent prominent.

"Computing" he responded, a small smile tugging at the side of his lips.

"Sounds like my worst nightmare" she giggled, and it was the most beautiful sound Vision had ever heard. "I'm useless with technology" she continued.

"I have always been fascinated with it: how quickly it changes, how much we're becoming to rely on it. It's a scary yet intriguing world" he explained, his English accent bringing a calmness to Wanda's forever frantic mind. She could only offer a kind smile towards him, having no idea how to carry the conversation on after learning how intellectual he was. Shortly after their brief conversation, Wanda said her goodbyes and headed off towards her dorm. She made her way up the stairs and to her door, turning the key to reveal Natasha Romanoff on her bed with her headphones in place. She looked up and offered a small wave before moving her headphones off her ears and around her neck.

"Rehearsals go OK?" She asked, shutting the lid of her laptop.

"Yeah good thank-you" Wanda replied, grabbing her stuff for a shower. She didn't dare tell the newly dyed blonde about Vision – she would never hear the end of it.

"Hey I was thinking we could have a movie night tonight. Get some popcorn and vegetate"

"Sounds good to me. You pick the film, I'll get the popcorn after my shower?" The brunette suggested, smiling when Natasha nodded and headed out towards the communal showers. As she walked down the hall, she couldn't help but bite her lip as she thought of the blonde man. His bright blue eyes, his smooth voice and his small yet innocently cute smile. However, just as quickly as the thoughts came to her, she shook her head to get rid of them. She was too tainted to be worthy of anyone like him; someone who seemed too pure and good.

There was no way anyone like that would want her.


	2. Chapter 2

After seeing her once, it was as if Vision's eyes scouted for Wanda everywhere he went. He only saw her in passing for the first few weeks, but it was enough to leave a smile on his face for the rest of the day. She would always be in dance wear and a pair of trainers, a worn black bag slung over her shoulder and her hair either in a bun, ponytail or braids. She always smiled pleasantly at him, but carried on walking with her shoulders hunched and her head down; as if she wanted to go unnoticed. It was a completely different persona to what Vision saw when she was on stage. She was sassy, confident and incredibly alluring. Although she was still very beautiful, all confidence was gone, and her eyes looked so sad. Vision wanted to know why, so made it his mission to speak to her the next time he saw her.

He didn't get a chance until three weeks later, but Vision smiled when he saw her sat under a tree with her headphones in and her eyes fixed on a laptop screen. He made his presence known by walking directly in front of her so he was caught in her peripheral vision. She smiled up at him and took her headphones out, giving him her full attention.

"Good morning Wanda" he greeted her with a friendly smile, only to grin wider when her green eyes flashed with happiness. It was only a split second, but it was enough.

"Morning Vision, how is your morning?" she asked politely, gesturing towards the space next to her for him to join her. Wanda had never been good at social interaction, but with Vision it felt easy; despite only speaking to him once prior to this.

"It's been eventful. The lecture was all about coding, which is what I find most enjoyable. I have been coding since I was quite young, so it feels natural" he explained with so much passion Wanda couldn't help but smile... Even if she had no idea what he was talking about. Vision could clearly see her confusion, so cleared his throat slightly and gestured to her laptop.

"It's basically creating a script for your computer. For example, I could write a code which could start music when you press a certain key or have a message appear on your screen when you start your computer" he explained in a bit more depth, and Wanda looked at him with wide eyes.

"Sorry, that probably sounds boring to most people" Vision chuckled nervously, but Wanda shook her head vigorously.

"No it doesn't, it's interesting" she smiled sweetly before she looked down at her hands and blushed. Before Vision could carry on with the conversation, both of their heads snapped up at the sound of Wanda's name being called. The petite girl grinned as she stood up, leaving her belongings under the tree and hugging the man approaching them. Vision's heart sank a little as he stood up, knowing his time alone with Wanda was over. Although Tony told him she was single, Tony was, well… Tony. He would say anything just to get Vision near a girl.

"Vision, this is my twin brother Pietro, Pietro this is Vision" she introduced them. When she looked over at Vision she saw his stance change after the word 'brother' left her lips. Was her mind playing a cruel trick, or did he relax at the word?

"Nice to meet you" Pietro smiled and shook Vision's hand; a strong, hard grip with a forced smile. Protective big brother it seemed.

"You too Pietro" he returned the grip just as hard, letting go moments after and picking up Wanda's belongings.

"Thank-you" she took her bag and laptop from him, their hands brushing slightly.

"I'll erm… I'll see you around Vision" she waved with a shy smile and turned around; heading off with her brother. Vision watched her walk off, elbowing her brother in his side and throwing her head back laughing. She looked so at ease with him, so care-free; something Vision declared there and then to have her be when she was around him. He watched her for a few more moments before turning around and heading to the library to study a little further before his next class.

"Who's ya friend sister?" Pietro teased as the pair walked off, faking a hurt expression when she nudged him in the side. She started laughing, moving in closer and linking her arm through his. After their parents were cruelly taken from the world, Wanda and Pietro clung to each other like they were attached. They didn't leave each other's sides; a trait that has followed them even when things were going right for once in their lives.

"Someone I met a few weeks ago. He came and fixed the audio system in the theatre. He's… Really nice" she struggled to sum up her feelings towards the blonde haired man, so instead settled on the nonchalant adjective of 'nice'… Even she cringed at the degrading nature of it. Pietro just chuckled and shook his head.

"Just nice? You're staring off into space and biting your lip just thinking about him. Does someone have a crush?" He teased yet again, and is again rewarded with a jab in the side.

"Wands, you need to open yourself up a bit. I know I'm meant to be all big brother and get protective, but I want you happy too"

"Slow down brother, I've spoken to him twice… And that includes today! We're barely even friends" Wanda argued, rolling her eyes for exaggeration.

"I'm just saying. Anyway, when's your next class?" He swiftly changed the conversation, knowing his sister well enough to know when she's uncomfortable talking about something specific. She visibly relaxed and answered with ease, continuing their walk which eventually took them to where she needed to be.

Like Vision, Wanda loved her degree. Psychology fascinated her to no end; how the mind works during grief, happiness, love… It's amazing what the mind can do to protect the rest of the human body. She took notes vigorously, not wanting to miss a second of information. Getting to this point in her life had been a hardship for Wanda, so she didn't want to risk losing her new life now. She kept her head down, not having the confidence to contribute in class anymore than she had to. She wished she had the confidence she has when she's on the dance floor… But then again, she was someone different when she was dancing, so of course that confidence would stay with that person. Vision suddenly returned to Wanda's mind; how he seemed just as socially awkward as she was, how he seemed quiet yet passionate when he did speak. Maybe Pietro was right, maybe she did need to open up a little bit more. The only person she was comfortable with was her brother. She had been living with Natasha and dancing every day with Hope and Pepper for the last three months, yet they barely knew anything about her. Granted she didn't know much about Natasha, but Pepper and Hope seemed to open up to her about a lot of things. All the other girls on the dance team gossiped too much for her liking, and the boys just flirted with whoever was showing the most amount of skin that day. Wanda did get on with a few of the boys on her team, but those pleasantries always stayed on the dance floor.

However Wanda had no time to worry about friendships, because as soon as her class was finished she was rushing to the dance studio. The majority of the team were already there, with Pepper at the front giving direction as always. Wanda smiled and waved shyly at Hope, dropping her bag at the side and sitting next to her to start stretching.

"Class go ok?" Hope asked, always making an effort to make Wanda feel included.

"Yeah it was good thank-you" Wanda smiled gratefully, reaching down and grabbing her feet. The pair listened to Pepper talk about the football game they were performing at next week, how they needed to bring their a-game as they were going up against their biggest rivals. Wanda loved yet hated performing at sports events. She loved the thrill, the adrenaline of performing and sharing her team's hard work, but she hated the build-up; the last minute panic, the repetition of each part of the routine until it was perfect.

"You get all that? Good, let's get started" Pepper clapped her hands together and the team stood up, taking their positions for their group dance.

"So Scott and Tony have suggested we go out for dinner after the game, you're more than welcome to come, Natasha and Pietro too if they're watching?" Hope asked Wanda after rehearsals. The three girls stayed behind to go through new ideas for future routines, grabbing any time they could get with their busy schedules. Normally, Wanda would decline the offer; social interaction being something she always feared. But for once she was actually going to listen to her brother, and smiled brightly at the girls.

"I think I will, if that's ok?"

"Of course it is! We know you're an independent person Wanda, but we want you to feel like you can hang out with us, you can trust us you know that right?" Pepper offered, smiling wide when Wanda nodded.

"I'm really grateful, thank-you" the petite brunette responded, carrying on with the task at hand before calling it a night. The three girls all headed back to their dorms, and Wanda's mood stayed with her when she entered her room.

"You seem happy" Natasha commented, watching as her roommate emptied and re-packed her bag for tomorrow.

"I am. Won't be a moment" Wanda grabbed her shower bag and headed back out to the shower, returning fifteen minutes later with wet hair and dressed for bed.

"Are you going to the game next week?" she questioned when she walked back in.

"Most likely. Are you performing at half-time?"

"Yeah, and then Pepper and Hope are going out for dinner with their boyfriends after. Asked if we wanted to go too" the brunette explained, climbing onto her bed and plugging her phone in to charge.

"Sounds like we're crashing a double date if you ask me" the blonde raised her eyebrow, making Wanda giggle.

"Not quite. They've said Pietro can come too, so it's just a gathering"

"Well if Wanda Maximoff is finally going out, that's something I can't miss" she winked before focusing back on her laptop, finishing off a paper that was due tomorrow. Wanda decided to do the same, the two women entering a comfortable silence excluding the sound of their keyboards tapping away. Before long, Wanda could feel her eyes drooping, so put her laptop to the side and settled down into bed.

"Don't stay up too much longer" she mumbled, knowing Nat was rolling her eyes even though hers were now shut.

"Yes mum" she heard, immediately knowing that was in fact a lie. But she didn't have time to think about that, because seconds later she entered a deep sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

"Get changed, we're going to a football game" Tony announced as he walked into Vision's room without knocking as always. With him and Scott living in the dorm opposite him, Vision had little chance of ever having privacy. When his roommate transferred and wasn't replaced, Vision thought it would be perfect for him to work on his own in his own company. How wrong he was. Used to the intrusion, Vision just sighed as he closed his laptop and pushed it to one side.

"And do I look like the type of person to go to a football game?" He gestured to himself, dressed in old sweatpants and a worn t-shirt with a science joke barely visible.

"No, that's why I said get changed. And we're not going for the game, we're going for the half-time entertainment" Tony explained as he raided Vision's clothes, pulling out a pair of jeans and a white polo; an outfit Tony made him buy after seeing his lack of casual wear the first couple weeks of college. "And we're going out for dinner after, you've got twenty minutes" he continued, offering a short wave and a smirk before heading out the door as abruptly as he entered. Vision looked over at the clothing and let out an exasperated sigh. Climbing off his bed, he quickly grabbed his stuff to have a shower, then returned to his room to finish getting ready. As he sorted out his hair, it all clicked. Tony rarely invited him to football games, as Vision always said no, and when he did it was in a passing comment because he knew the answer. So why was he so persistent this time?… The dance team performed at games, which meant Wanda would be there. And they were going out for dinner after. Would Wanda be at dinner? Suddenly, how he looked became extremely important. Vision smoothed down his clothes for the hundredth time before walking out the door; Scott and Tony waiting expectantly.

"You own aftershave? What a revelation" Tony commented, the signature smirk never leaving his face.

"So why are we going to this game?" Vision asked as he put his hands in his jacket pockets. He knew why, but he wanted it confirmed to make sure his hopes haven't been raised for nothing.

"Hope and Pepper are performing at half-time. Supportive boyfriends and all" Scott gestured to himself and Tony, and before Vision could reply Tony beat him to it.

"Which means Maximoff is also performing; supportive wannabe boyfriend" Tony gestured to Vision, who rolled his eyes for what felt like the hundredth time in the space of thirty minutes.

"Tony, I've spoken to Wanda twice. I don't think it would be right to say such things" he tried to argue, but he knew his words would go straight over his friend's head. The trio continued to walk towards the car park; all jumping into Tony's car and driving towards the stadium. The car journey mostly consisted of Scott and Tony explaining the rules of football to a less knowledgeable Vision with Tony mentioning Wanda's name wherever possible. As they pulled up to the stadium and tried to find a space, Vision suddenly felt out of place. He had never attended a football match; never attended any sports events for that matter. Yet college was all about new experiences right? Once they headed into the stadium, Tony and Scott engaged in football talk, the three followed the crowd to find their seats.

"Did I need to come? I would have been more than happy just to attend the dinner" Vision commented as he was squeezed into his seat, feeling more uncomfortable than ever.

"But then you wouldn't see-" Tony started, but the blonde haired man sighed loudly.

"You know Tony, my eyes would have fallen out of my head if that were possible with the amount of times I roll them at your comments" he smirked, leaving both Tony and Scott speechless.

"Did Vision just make a joke? I think Vision just made a sarcastic comment that rendered Tony Stark speechless. We're gunna win today, I can feel it. It's a good day all round" Scott bounced excitedly in place, a wide grin on his face.

"On a serious note though, you will enjoy this more than you think. Football games are fun, when we win anyway" Tony offered in an attempt to calm Vision's panicked blue eyes as the stadium got even fuller.

"Just relax, buddy. Once the game starts you won't notice everyone. Just try to enjoy it ok?" Scott chimed in, and Vision just nodded with a small smile. "Come on, let's get a cute picture to send the girls" he held his phone up and turned the front camera on, Vision turning to Tony.

"Just humour him" he mumbled before turning his attention to the phone.

Underneath the stadium in the changing rooms, Wanda wasn't fairing much better. Another part of performing at games she hated: crowds. Once she was out there and the music was playing, she loved it. The waiting beforehand? Not so much.

"Hey, you ok?" Hope sat next to the petite brunette, who nodded with a smile.

"I will be, once I get out there. I just hate the waiting" she giggled slightly, trying to make herself feel calmer.

"You'll be great, you always are" Hope smiled encouragingly, giving her a little side hug before pulling away when her phone buzzed. She laughed to herself as she called Pepper over.

"Our boys actually got Vision out of his room". As she held her phone up for Pepper to see, Wanda's eyes widened. Vision was here? She looked over and saw the picture; Vision sandwiched between the other guys with a cute little smile on his face. She couldn't help but admire his eyes yet again; unable to think of a time where she had met anyone with eyes that blue. Not even her brother had eyes that rich in colour. Pietro's were more of an icy blue, whereas Vision's were Slightly darker - warm and gentle.

"Is he coming to dinner?" She asked without even thinking, blushing automatically when Hope and Pepper shared a knowing look.

"They probably all came in one car, so most likely" Pepper answered, holding back her desire to push Wanda and Vision together. Since the day he came to the theatre, Pepper had been going on non-stop to Tony about hooking the two of them up. But she knew Wanda, and Tony knew Vision, and they both knew that pushing either of them would do more damage than good. They soon made their way out to the field, able to watch the game from the sidelines. Wanda's knowledge of football was limited, but she enjoyed the rush when her school scored and couldn't help but join in with the cheering. Wanda had never seen a football game before moving to America; the only event she had ever seen was her brother running in track events. She didn't know many of the positions, but Pepper, Hope and Pietro had all given her crash courses in the hopes of helping her understand the game to make the waiting more enjoyable. They continued watching as the minutes counted down; star quarterback Steve Rogers and running back player Sam Wilson taking the game by storm. Wanda had met both of them multiple times: Natasha and Steve flirting on the daily and Sam flirting with any woman that moved on the daily. Sam was a lovely guy, who tried it on with Wanda at one point, but he just wasn't her type. She didn't even think she had a type. Well until recently…

"Wanda are you ready? We're on in five minutes" Hope snapped her out of her thoughts before they could delve further into the blue orbs that was Vision. She seriously needed to control herself, she had met the guy twice and was already drooling over him!

"Got it" she smiled at her friend and started stretching to keep her muscles warm from the warmup they did earlier. As they were performing outside, Pepper always let the team wear longer outfits which was always a bonus to Wanda. Anything that let her back and stomach out for all to see made her uncomfortable as they were littered with scars. She knew everyone on the team had seen them, but something told her Pepper had something to do with none of them asking about them.

They soon changed positions with the players and made their way onto the pitch, Wanda's fears fading as the music blared through the stadium.

"How did we bag such hot girls, man? They're killin' it" Scott high-fived Tony as he cheered on the team, not knowing a thing about dance but loving the way his girlfriend looked as she performed. Vision was more reserved, but his eyes never left Wanda's figure. They were quite far away from the performance, but from watching them that one time, he knew Wanda was always on Pepper's left and Hope to her right. Their synchronisation was flawless, and he didn't understand how someone could turn on grass. But they could, Wanda could, and he smiled at her confidence. He didn't quite know the style of dance, but it had a lot of attitude, and Wanda Maximoff giving attitude was something Vision never expected. From the times he had met her and from what he had heard from Tony and Scott, she was extremely reserved and soft spoken; but then again, everyone had a fiery steak in them, and Vision was seeing that for the first time tonight. His grin grew wider and he found himself cheering for the team, not wanting to give Tony more ammunition by singling her out. Their performance was soon over, and they jogged off the pitch waving at the crowd while they roared and clapped in response.

"And that is why we go to sports events my friend" Tony patted him on the shoulder and smirked as he walked past them both to grab some drinks.

"Are you enjoying it then?" Scott asked. Vision wasn't sure about Scott at first; his endless enthusiasm and his tendency to talk a lot was something Vision found off putting. But the more they started hanging out, the more Vision found that Scott was harmless. Scott was less full on than Tony in the teasing side of things too. While he liked to joke, Scott knew when to draw the line a lot sooner than Tony did; something Vision greatly appreciated.

"I am surprisingly" the blonde man offered a smile, and received a soft one in return.

"I'm glad you came man. It's nice for us to hang out at some place different and for you to step out of your comfort zone a bit. I know Tony and I tease you a lot about burying your nose in your laptop all day, but we just want you to experience college a bit more ya'know? Find a new hobby, meet new people, enjoy things you never did before" Scott's words made Vision even more appreciative of him. He was right, Vision was always on his laptop, creating a new code or creating jokes of his own and hacking into Scott's laptop. He never really went out, whether it was to a party, a game or just out to dinner; Vision would much rather stay in with his own company. But he needed to break out of that, otherwise college wouldn't be so enjoyable.

"It feels good to do something else, so thank you" he replied just as Tony returned with three cups.

"Absolute skill carrying those through everyone, but you know me; I'm the master of everything" he handed the two their drinks and kept hold of the third, settling in just before the second half began.

"Of course you are. Remind me of that statement when we play that game again… Beer pong was it?" Vision brought up the moment of the one time he had ever interacted with a drinking game. The dorm had set up their own version of a beer pong tournament in the hallway, and Tony had dragged Vision to play in the hopes of beating him. Turned out, Vision had quite the aim, and only had to drink two beers while Tony had to take his one after the other: ten perfect shots in a row. Tony turned his head to throw back an insult, but whatever he said was drowned out by the crowd as they welcomed back the team for the second half. Probably for the best.


	4. Chapter 4

After the school's victorious win, the three guys headed out of the stadium and waited for the girls to emerge. They engaged in more talk about the game, Vision finally understanding the football lingo, when two more people headed their way. Vision looked up and smiled when he recognised one of them.

"Hi Pietro" he greeted warmly, and was pleased when he received the same reaction from the other Maximoff.

"Hey guys, thanks for letting us tag along" he said as he joined the gathering.

"So you're the famous Vision" Nat teased as she looked towards the blonde haired man, Vision frowning in confusion.

"I suppose I am. Have we met?" He asked out of politeness, but knew for a fact they hadn't.

"No. I'm Natasha, or Nat. Wanda's roommate" she smiled, and smirked when Vision's cheeks turned a dusty pink.

"I see. Well it's a pleasure to meet you" he smiled just as warmly as he did with Pietro; who had already joined in on the football talk. Nat and Vision also joined in as they waited for the remaining trio to arrive. The carpark became almost silent by the time they did arrive; Pepper making their presence known to the group.

"Finally, I'm wasting away here" Tony commented jokingly, pulling Pepper into his side and kissing her. Hope made her way to Scott with a huge grin and Wanda was engulfed in a bear hug by her brother.

"Well done sister, you were so good" he complimented her as they pulled away, Wanda blushing with a small smile.

"Thank-you for coming, you too Nat"

"Hey it's about time I see the result of all your late nights at the studio" she giggled as she gave her roommate a small hug as well. She looked up at Vision, who was looking uncomfortable, and decided to start the conversation for once.

"Did you enjoy the game, Vision?" She asked, smiling kindly when he looked at her directly.

"I did, thank-you for asking. It was a great first experience, and you and the team performed exceptionally well" he answered, and Wanda couldn't help but smile wider at his politeness. Before she could respond, Scott called over to them to meet at the agreed restaurant in town. They made their way back to their cars; the three boys in one, Hope and Pepper in another and Wanda decided to switch and go in with Nat and Pietro.

"So that's Vision" Nat raised an eyebrow over to Wanda as she drove into town. Wanda rolled her eyes and leaned her head in the palm of her hand.

"Yes that's Vision… Your point?"

"No point" She paused for a moment, and when Wanda thought the conversation was over, Nat's lips formed a smirk. "He's cute" she continued, laughing when both Wanda and Pietro groaned.

"Don't play Cupid for my sister please, especially when I'm here" Pietro piped up from the back seat, faking a gag for emphasis.

"You two are the worst, you know that?" Wanda moaned, pouting her lips like a little girl.

"Just trying to give you a little nudge that's all"

"Oh really? And how's Steve?" Wanda asked, knowing that would get Nat to stop teasing. And sure enough, she went silent and concentrated on the road ahead. Luckily the trip into the city didn't take long, and they pulled up in the restaurant car park. They picked a casual place to eat; with three girls in a dance tracksuit and everyone else dressed for a game, they didn't want to stand out. They were the last to arrive, walking in and already seeing the other five seated in a booth. Pietro walked in first, sliding in and sitting next to Pepper while Natasha seized the opportunity that played so nicely; leaving the spot next to Vision and sitting down next to Pietro. Wanda refrained from rolling her eyes in case Vision took it the wrong way, however Nat would be in for it when they got back to their dorm. She took the remaining spot next to him and smiled kindly, suddenly feeling shy. She took the menu offered to her by Vision and looked through the options; settling on a chicken burger and fries.

"Would you like some water, Wanda?" Vision offered, holding a glass and jug in his hands.

"Oh, yes please" she smiled gratefully as he poured her a glass; handing it over with a kind look in his eyes. Shortly after the remaining guests arrived, the waiter took their food and drink orders before leaving them to talk about the game results.

"Did you get to see much of the game?" Vision asked, trying to ignore the fact that Wanda's thigh was pressed up against his. Although the booth was built for a maximum of eight, it was definitely a small eight.

"I saw some of it, they played really well. They always do though" she smiled, even though the smile never really left her face once she saw Vision. It felt easy to smile around him, his presence relaxing to her.

"Your team are really good too. I won't pretend like I know much about it, but it seemed really good to me" he tried to compliment her, stumbling over his words trying to find the right ones to say.

"I'll still take the compliment, thank-you" Wanda giggled which in turn brought a face-splitting grin to Vision's face. He enjoyed making people smile, and Wanda was definitely no exception. However, he was hyper-aware that Wanda's twin brother was currently shooting daggers at him. Nat also picked up on this, and elbowed him in the side; causing him to dribble his drink.

"Thanks Nat, that's really gunna help me pull tonight" Pietro moaned.

"It won't be the dribble that causes you not to get laid" she fought back, causing the whole table to holler and yell "burn!".

"You're gunna pay for that, Romanoff"

"Fight me, Maximoff" she answered back, and Wanda couldn't help but pull a face. They would never get together, but their flirty banter made her cringe sometimes. Luckily, she wasn't the only one thinking this.

"Alright you two tone it down a bit yeah? I can see the sexual tension from here and it's nauseating" Tony joined in, earning a light kick under the table from his girlfriend.

"Oh please, I'd never stoop so low" Natasha responded, again earning a round of laughter.

"I like her. Wanda, why haven't you brought her out before?" Scott chimed in from the end.

"Because she's too busy with a certain quarterback to make time for me" she raised her eyebrow at Nat, who poked her tongue out and held her middle finger up.

"Wait, you and Rogers? No way, I wouldn't have guessed that" Scott answered, ignoring Natasha's shaking head.

"No we're-"

"Is he as much of a star in the bedroom as he is on the field?" Tony winked, always bringing the tone down to a dirty level.

"Wow, real creative there Stark. Want me to ask him if he's got any pointers for ya?" Natasha gestured her drink towards him with a smirk to match his. Before Tony could respond, he yelped in shock and looked across to his girlfriend.

"I would quit while you're ahead, honey" she said the last word with such sweetness Tony knew not to push any further. Instead he glared at Natasha, who lifted her thumb up and pressed it down on the table; indicating he was well and truly under the thumb.

"Nat stop making enemies before you've even made friends" Wanda giggled as she watched her friend's antics.

"Don't worry your pretty little head Wands, it's all fun" the short-haired blonde smiled innocently at her friend.

Their food arrived shortly after, the team creating small talk to fill the silence as they ate… Mainly the boys comparing egos and the girls looking at each other with exasperated expressions at their big-headedness... Apart from Vision, who would rather watch on and observe the disaster unfold.

"Are they always like this?" Wanda whispered in his ear, and Vision felt a shiver go up his spine. He turned to face her, praying his cheeks didn't look as hot as they felt.

"Mostly. Although your brother is giving Tony a run for his money, Scott usually gives in and lets Tony brag about anything and everything" he made a face and Wanda couldn't help but laugh softly.

"Must be tiring"

"It's ok, you get used to it. He's not all bad once you get to know him" Vision smiled warmly, thinking of all the times Tony has saved his arse. Just as he showed any appreciation towards his friend, Tony ruined it by leaning over Vision's body and injecting himself in the middle.

"What are you two lovebirds whispering about?" he joked, not expecting either of them to bite back. His face said it all when Wanda opened her mouth.

"We were just wondering how your big head is going to walk out of this restaurant Mr. Big Shot" she winked and leaned away, smirking into her glass of water.

"That's my sister!" Pietro announced and raised his hand to high five his twin.

"Oh I see your game, twin power and all that" as Tony leaned away, he stole a couple of fries from Wanda's plate; trying with all his might to keep the upper hand. But he soon softened up as he watched Vision and Wanda laughing together. As much as he teased his friend, it was nice to finally see him out of his bedroom and interacting with someone that wasn't him, Scott or his laptop. He looked over at Pepper and gave her a little nod, making her glance over and smirk. Oh yeah, they were getting them together for sure.

"Steve's just text me" Pepper announced towards the end of the night, getting the table's attention before continuing. "Him and Sam are hosting a party next Saturday to celebrate the win. You all in?"

"A party? I'm down" Scott replied instantly, always up for a party.

"If you're going, I'm going darling" Tony answered next, partly because he wanted to, and partly because he knew what the football team were like with the dance team. He trusted Pepper, he just didn't trust everyone else. Hope also agreed, closely followed by Pietro; taking every opportunity to meet a new girl.

"Yeah why not? Any reason to see this guy fail at picking up girls" Natasha agreed nonchalantly, hating to admit to herself that she actually liked this group of people Wanda had introduced her to. She had met Pepper and Hope briefly a couple of times, but not enough to form a proper opinion. Like Wanda, Natasha liked to keep to herself; having been taught early on that baring your heart to someone and putting trust in another person always ended up in disaster. But when she met Wanda, seeing a lost little girl in a big city and only having her brother for comfort, she immediately took her under her wing. She never doubted that Wanda was her own person and could hold her own, but sometimes people needed an extra push to realise they had those traits. Through Wanda she met Pietro, and his witty, cheeky personality grew on her quickly; giving back just as much sass.

"Come on Wanda, live a little. I can do your make-up" Nat offered, causing Wanda to grimace.

"That's a reason not to go, remember the last time you did that?" she reminded her roommate of the time she gave her a 'makeover', which resulted in Wanda looking like she had two black eyes.

"I was experimenting with new products, I obviously didn't wanna do it on myself" Nat defended herself.

"The rest of the dance team will be there. I know some of them are idiots, but at least you'll know a few faces" Hope reassured her, Wanda again being grateful towards her.

"Yeah I'll go" she smiled, making all eyes turn to Vision.

"No. I was awkward enough at the game today, a party will amplify that ten times" Vision immediately reacted, having never been to a party. The only 'parties' he had been to were when the dorm had pre-drinks, and even then he avoided them at all costs. He waited for Tony to make up some excuse as to why he should go, so was pleasantly surprised when a lighter, sweeter voice owned the excuse.

"You have to come, we can be odd ones out together" Wanda offered, immediately blushing at her outburst. How could Vision say no to that?

"Fine. But if I have to drag you home you're on your own" he gestured towards Tony, who held his hands up in celebration.

"Deal. A party it is!" They all held their glasses up and clinked them together. They soon settled the bill and made their way out to their designated rides home.

"Can you believe this, Pep? We've got Vision to go to a party! My little boy is growing up" Tony enthused as he climbed into his car with Vision and Pepper; who swapped with Scott so he could spend the night in their room with Hope.

"It's not next Saturday yet, I might change my mind" Vision piped up, but Tony quickly dismissed it.

"No you won't. You won't be able to resist seeing Wanda all dressed up"

"Tony stop it. Leave him be" Pepper scolded her boyfriend, looking into the rear view mirror and smiling softly at the blonde in the back. Behind the smile however, she was beaming with excitement.

In Natasha's car, Wanda wasn't getting off as lightly.

"You'll be the odd ones out together? What pick-up line is that sister?" Pietro teased, reaching forward and tickling Wanda's neck.

"It wasn't! It was a kind gesture" she argued as she flinched away from his touch.

"Will you be the odd ones out together in a corner? Secluded from the rest of us, just the two of you…" Nat joined in and Wanda just threw her head back against the headrest with a groan.

"Get it all out now, go on. I hate you both" she mumbled, closing her eyes in embarrassment.

"OK we'll stop, we're sorry. We've gotta make you look hot though" Natasha emphasised, causing Wanda's head to shoot up.

"No we do not!" Both her and her brother exclaimed at the same time.

"Pietro stay out of this, girl talk"

"Well save it for when I'm not here" Pietro's comment ended the conversation, leaving the car in a comfortable silence for the rest of the journey home and Wanda with her thoughts. Maybe making an effort wouldn't be so bad…


	5. Chapter 5

The next day Vision decided to head down to the library seeing as he didn't make it the day before. The library was a place of tranquillity for Vision; a place Tony Stark and Scott Lang never ventured to. He sat down on a table and opened his laptop, finally able to focus without his pesky neighbours walking in and out of his room every ten minutes. He opened his latest project and started to work; eyes glued to the screen as his fingers typed away of their own accord. He got so lost in the task at hand he didn't realise that two hours had gone by, or that someone was calling his name until a soft hand rested on his shoulder. He jumped at the contact and looked up, his expression softening when he realised who it was.

"Wanda, hi. Sorry, I was in my own world there" he apologised, softly smiling at her giggle.

"That's OK. What are you working on?" She asked, looking over at his laptop screen while carrying a large stack of books.

"Just an assignment. We're given a fake company and have to design a website for them. I see you are covering a lot of ground with your studies" he chuckled slightly as he gestured to the books in her hands; varying from modern history to Spanish.

"Oh no, I work here on a Sunday. I need to put these back" Wanda hoisted the books up in her arms, which were dropping from the weight, and looked at the shelves over Vision's head.

"Oh, I didn't realise. I will let you continue, I'm sure you want to relieve your arms" they both smiled at each other, but as Wanda proceeded to walk off, Vision realised he didn't want her to leave.

"Wanda?" He called her back while standing out of his seat; feeling bad that he was delaying her from getting back to her job, but knowing he wouldn't have the courage to ask the next question if he didn't do it now.

"Yes?" She smiled kindly, walking back slightly to be closer to him.

"When do you have lunch?"

"In about an hour, why?"

"Well I was thinking about going to get something to eat soon, and I was wondering if maybe, if you didn't have plans already, maybe you wanted to… Join me?" He asked, the nerves nearly taking over. To his delight, Wanda grinned and nodded.

"That would be lovely. I'll erm… I'll come back over when I'm ready?" She offered, trying to hide the blush in her cheeks.

"Sounds great. Now I really will let you get on" he sat back down, still making eye contact with Wanda's glistening green eyes. Her only response was a small giggle before hurrying off, a sound that resonated in his ears. Unsurprisingly, the next hour went by a lot slower than the past two, his mind not as focused as it was before. Every now and then, his eye caught Wanda's; the two sharing small, shy smiles before they rushed back to their task at hand. Vision had never been good at making friends, even as a child the only friends he made were ones of circumstance. Tony and Scott were the first two to take genuine interest in him; even if they did tease him about his lack of fashion sense or his lack of motivation to 'do anything fun'. Pepper and Hope then became friends by default, but Wanda… Wanda was starting to become a friend naturally. OK, he might have had help in terms of them being in the same place at the same time, but now it seemed to be falling into place on its own. He liked being around Wanda, and he hoped their friendship could grow further.

The hour finally passed, and Wanda timidly walked over to Vision; suddenly questioning if the invite was still open. She pulled the strap of her shoulder bag closer as she approached, letting out a sigh of relief when he looked up and beamed his bright smile. He quickly stood up and put his laptop in his backpack, slipping it over his shoulders and tucking his chair in.

"Ready?" Vision asked, gesturing for Wanda to walk ahead. The brunette nodded with a shy smile and walked on, Vision joining when she met his side. The pair walked in comfortable silence, only talking when deciding on where to go. They ended up at a small café just across the street, Vision opening the door for Wanda; the gentleman as always.

"What would you like?" Vision asked as they joined the back of the line.

"Oh no, I can't expect you to buy me-" Wanda started to object, but he shut her down quickly.

"I asked you to lunch, therefore it's on me. Now what would you like?" He asked again, and if he didn't have the cutest smile on his face, Wanda would have still refused. However, she felt like she couldn't deprive him of his generosity.

"Fine, but the next one is on me" she offered without even thinking, looking down and blushing profusely. Vision didn't say anything, but she missed his cheeks also tinge pink at the suggestion.

"Can I get a peppermint tea and a bacon and brie toastie please?" She relented and asked for what she wanted, Vision's smile beaming as he nodded and reached the cashier. He placed their order and grabbed their drinks once they were made; heading over to a small table in the corner. He quickly placed the drinks on the table and pulled Wanda's chair out for her; the brunette shyly mumbling her thanks as she sat down.

"Thank-you again, you really didn't have to" she thanked again, cupping her mug in between her hands.

"It's my pleasure. I-I know we don't exactly know each other much. But I- I would like to get to know you. It would be nice to have another friend besides Tony and Scott. They can be… Overbearing sometimes" Vision expressed, and that ignited a little giggle from Wanda's lips.

"I can imagine. I never know how Hope deals with Scott. He's a lovely guy but… He's sometimes too enthusiastic for me. And Pepper, well she can be just as stubborn and demanding as Tony so their arguments are always tenfold a normal one" Wanda expressed, and worried for a moment she may have been a bit too brash. However, she immediately relaxed when she saw Vision softly nod and took a tentative sip of her tea. "Oh and for the record" she continued, "I would like to get to know you too" she added on in a softer voice, one that made her accent so much more visible.

"I'm glad to hear that" the blonde said just as their food was delivered; Vision also opting for the bacon and brie toastie.

"So where abouts are you from?" He started the conversation, biting into one half of his toastie.

"Sokovia" Wanda replied, also delving into her food. She was never one for breakfast, so was naturally more hungry by the time lunch rolled around.

"I see. What made you move here?" He asked curiously, but instantly regretted it when he saw her smile drop to one of sadness.

"We had good memories, but it's not a place I would want to live at the moment" she briefly explained, although there was so much more to it. Only Pietro would ever know the full extent of Wanda's past, and even he didn't know **everything**. Although she could sense Vision wouldn't ask any further, she didn't want to take that chance; turning the attention on him.

"What about you?" She asked.

"I moved here from England when I was sixteen. The specialist school I went to here, they were offering scholarships to students less fortunate for their advanced information technology class. I grew up in an orphanage, and my teachers back home were very considerate, and aware of my capabilities in that area. So they got in contact with the school, and helped me get here" Vision explained, going into more detail than Wanda expected. Her green eyes widened when he mentioned where he grew up; a wave of sadness hitting her.

"An orphanage?" Is all she could say, suddenly feeling grateful she at least had two loving parents for part of her life.

"I had a couple of complications when I was born apparently. Nothing major, but it required me to stay longer than most babies. My birth mother was given the all clear within twenty-four hours; so she walked out of the hospital and never came back. That's all I know. My biological father, even less knowledge. To save me from getting put into the foster care system, there was an orphanage near the hospital. The midwife took me there and they brought me up. They named me; a very strange name, but I'll take it" he chuckled then, looking back at the moments where people found out his unusual name. "And they made sure I had a good life. It wasn't luxurious, but it was enough" he smiled warmly at her, and she could feel like gratitude radiating off of him.

"Thank-you for telling me that, it means a lot to me" she trailed off, pondering the idea of delving further into her backstory. But before she could decide, a warm hand gently placed itself on her arm and made her look up into soft blue orbs.

"You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to. I'm comfortable talking about my past, but I appreciate people that are not" he smiled encouragingly at her before retreating his hand. Wanda let out a sigh of relief, and instead focused on a fact that she had been wondering about since the day she met him.

"I did always wonder where your name came from. I wouldn't say it was strange, more… Unique" Wanda's fingers played with the string attached to her tea-bag as she looked at him, green into blue, as she started to realise that Vision himself is a very unique person.

"Unique" Vision played with the word for a moment, pausing to sip his own tea.

"It's the first time someone has described my name that way. I've had eccentric, but never unique. I like it. Anyway, I've been talking about myself for far too long" he tried to brush the attention off him, entering a comfortable silence as they finished off their food.

"How about the party next week then? By your reaction, I take it you're not a party person?" Wanda assumed, leaning back into a more relaxed position and holding her mug.

"Not at all. I've always preferred my own company and my own space. Being surrounded by intoxicated people who have no sense of personal space isn't a situation I like to inject myself into" Vision mused, he too adopting the more relaxed posture. He said he liked his own company; yet he was quickly preferring the idea of having Wanda as company. "What's your take on the party scene?" He returned the question, smirking when Wanda vigorously shook her head.

"Not for me. My brother took the outgoing trait, he's better in those situations. I don't mind being surrounded by a small group of people; like dinner yesterday was lovely, but I agree with you. People don't have an understanding of boundaries when they're drunk, particularly some men. That type of attention makes me feel uneasy. I don't particularly mind the cat calls when I'm dancing, because I'm too in the zone and it's very easy to pretend they're not aimed at me. But when guys think they can touch you because you're wearing something slightly revealing, I don't like that" Vision could visibly see Wanda fold in on herself as she finished her sentence, as if she was remembering a bad memory. The picture didn't sit well with him, and he certainly didn't like the idea of Wanda feeling like that.

"Well, luckily we're not all like that. Like you said, we can be the odd ones out together" he smiled reassuringly, and mentally patted himself on the back when Wanda laughed, nodded her head and returned to her relaxed state.

"Sounds good to me" she looked at her watch and her features faltered slightly, realising she needed to return to work.

"As much as I've really enjoyed this little break, I better head back" she broke the news, feeling a small flutter of butterflies when she saw Vision's smile drop slightly as well before recovering.

"Of course" he stood up and offered her his hand, revelling in the warm feeling when their hands met. She walked ahead and waited for him when they were both outside; falling in step side by side.

"Well thank-you for allowing me to intrude on your lunch break" Vision broke the silence as they arrived outside the library again.

"You don't need to thank me. It was a nice change. Thank-you for walking me back… And for paying, I'll be sure to return the favour" she smiled a real smile; a smile that made her eyes glisten and smile as well.

"I'll see you around" she offered a little wave and headed back inside, looking back and giggling when she saw him still watching her; only turning around when she was fully inside.

Definitely unique.


	6. Chapter 6

By the time Saturday rolled by, Wanda didn't feel like going to a party. Between lectures and dance rehearsals, her body just wanted to climb into bed and never leave. But she said she would go, told Vision they would stick together, so she couldn't let them down. She walked back into her room after having a shower to find Natasha raiding her wardrobe.

"Are you OK there?" Wanda asked, raising an eyebrow at her roommate when she didn't pause a second to acknowledge her presence.

"Good thanks" Natasha called out over her shoulder, giving a dress the once-over before putting it back.

"OK let's do this another way. What are you doing?" she tried again, receiving a little glance but no other sign of stopping.

"Picking your outfit out for tonight. You need to look good!" Natasha pulled out another dress, and Wanda knew she wouldn't be able to stop her. Instead she admitted defeat, and sat on her bed cross-legged.

"How were rehearsals?" Nat asked, placing one dress on the bed and going back in to find another option.

"It was good. I'm so tired though" she admitted, flopping back onto her bed and sighing happily at the comfort. She closed her eyes, but she could feel Nat's glare on her.

"What a shame. Have a nap, we're getting ready in an hour" she told her, and Wanda could accept that. At least she could fit in a nap, that's all she cared about at the moment. Within seconds she was gone, entering a short but sweet sleep.

Natasha took full advantage of this. Obviously. Natasha Romanoff had been waiting for this day since her and Wanda first met. As she looked through Wanda's small chest of drawers, she realised she didn't have a lot of clothes that met the criteria of a party. Black gym leggings, black crop top, grey gym leggings, red long sleeved gym top… This was going to prove harder than she thought. She had found two dresses so far: one that was far too summery for a party in November and one that even she thought was too much for a frat party. She put that dress back and kept looking. Although she knew some girls would go over the top, Natasha knew Wanda well enough to know she wouldn't want to be that type of girl. She kept digging, and eventually found a black skirt that was tight enough to show off her assets, but not too tight. She put it on the bed and went back to look for a top to go with it. She got so close to giving up -something Natasha Romanoff never did- when she spotted something red out of the corner of her eye. Hidden at the back of Wanda's drawers was a red lace bodysuit. Natasha held it up and smiled to herself. It was a simple short sleeved bodysuit that showed the amount of cleavage that would pass as 'classy'. She put the ensemble together and looked over Wanda's shoes. This part proved impossible. She could pull off wearing vans or converse, but Nat wasn't feeling that. Instead, she messaged Pepper and asked if either her or Hope had a pair of shoes that would go with it; sending them a picture of the completed look. Within minutes she got a response, and she smiled again when she read the answer she wanted. With that done, she grabbed her things and headed for a shower, feeling rather excited about going to this party tonight.

Wanda woke up an hour later feeling surprisingly refreshed, and surprised in general. As she started to come around from her sleep, she heard giggling. When she opened her eyes she saw Nat pulling on a pair of leather trousers, Hope applying makeup in their tiny excuse of a mirror and Pepper chilling on Nat's bed with a drink.

"Hey, sleeping beauty's here!" Pepper announced, immediately handing over a bottle of some questionably cheap alcohol. Wanda took it, still in a daze, as she sat up and crossed her legs.

"Come on kiddo, you gotta get ready" Natasha turned to her and pushed the bottle up, forcing Wanda to drink a bit. Wanda looked over and saw her outfit lying on the end of her bed, eyes widening when she saw it.

"I can't wear that!" she exclaimed, picking up the red bodysuit. "I wore this in a dance recital" she continued.

"Wow what type of dance recital was that?" Natasha asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I had a nude leotard on underneath" Wanda rolled her eyes as she ran her fingers over the floral lace pattern.

"OK I'll make you a deal. Put it on, and if you don't like it, you don't wear it. But you have to try it on first" Natasha offered, and Wanda silently agreed to the deal by climbing off her bed and finding suitable underwear for the night.

"Here get that down ya, you'll get more in the party mood" Tony offered Vision a bottle of beer, the blonde just staring at the bottle with a frown.

"Where did you get this?"

"I have contacts" Tony just shrugged as he sat down on the spare bed in Vision's room, Scott joining them minutes later.

"Vision getting boozy, this is a great night" he joined Tony on the bed and took a swig of his drink. Vision had already convinced them to not play a drinking game, no matter how many times Tony brought out a ping pong ball.

"I'm not getting 'boozy'. I'm drinking this to make you happy" Vision made a point, but it landed on deaf ears.

"We're gunna get the shots flowing, the games popping. Vision is going to get the girl…" Scott started rambling and Vision just let him. When Scott was in this type of mood, the best thing to do was just let him say what he needed to say. He looked over at Tony, who for once was on Vision's side, as he started poking Scott.

"Hey, what are you doing?" He asked Tony.

"Trying to find the off switch" he replied, causing Vision to chuckle.

"Very funny guys. OK fine I'll chill" Scott admitted defeat, however started playing music that was far from chilled.

"We'll have these and then go get the girls. Hope and Pepper are getting ready with Wanda so we can grab them from the same place. Are you gunna be Wanda's knight in shinin' armour if anyone tries to hit on her?" Tony asked, taking multiple gulps of his beer.

"I'm sure Wanda is capable of defending herself if the attention is unwanted" Vision answered, already not liking the idea of watching that scene unfold. The trio continued discussing parties, or more accurately telling Vision what usually went down at a party, before draining the last of their beers and heading out. The walk between dorms wasn't that far, which was always handy for Tony or Scott if they wanted a night with their girlfriends. Tony sent a quick text to Pepper telling her they were outside, and a few minutes later the girls headed down to greet them: Hope wearing a pale blue jumpsuit, Pepper in a teal bodycon dress and Natasha wearing black leather trousers with a black wrap top. Then there was Wanda, wearing what Nat had picked out for her, and Vision couldn't help but stare. He had never seen her with her hair down before; the straightness of it making it shine and flow down her back. While Hope and Pepper were greeting their boyfriends and Nat making a head start on the walk, Vision hung back and smiled brightly at the brunette.

"You look lovely" he complimented. Beautiful was the more fitting word, but that seemed a bit too strong for someone he barely could call a friend.

"Thank-you, you scrub up nicely too" she giggled, tucking her hair behind her ear and crossing her arms over her torso.

"Do you not have a coat?" Vision asked, suddenly aware that the evening chill and Wanda's outfit weren't a good match.

"No. Nat said I wouldn't need-" before she could even finish, Vision had taken his jacket off and started wrapping it around her shoulders.

"But then you'll be cold" she argued, but secretly welcomed the warmth.

"I'll be fine. You need it more than me" he smiled when she did, watching her grab the ends and pull it around herself tighter.

"You're very kind. Thank-you" they caught up with the others, catching the end of Hope giving Scott an earful about how much he's already had to drink and Pepper in turn scolding Tony for letting him get to that state. Clearly Scott had drunk more beers before getting to Vision's, and the fresh air wasn't doing him any favours.

They all walk the short distance to Steve's and Sam's frat house, and it was clear Wanda was already getting tense about the situation. Almost like a comfort blanket, she pulled Vision's jacket tighter around her; welcoming the scent of aftershave and a hint of something she couldn't quite put her finger on, but whatever it was comforted her. No-one made a comment about Vision giving her his jacket, however she could see Nat's prying eyes glancing over at her every so often. As they walked in, Wanda was immediately greeted by her brother running up to her and hugging her tightly. He was drunk, of course, but Wanda couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips when he spun her around.

"There's my favourite girl!" he announced as he put her down, kissing the side of her head with a bright smile that was purely Pietro.

"Remember that in a couple of hours when you have another girl on your arm" she winked and nudged his side. The others made their way into the kitchen area where Steve and Sam were pouring them drinks, Vision introducing himself with the polite manner he always carried with him. Hope and Pepper had already been dragged away by the other girls on the dance team, leaving Wanda with Nat and the boys.

"Wanda Maximoff, I see you've finally succumbed to the temptation that is Sam Wilson" Sam joked as he gestured to himself with a cheeky smirk.

"In your dreams, Wilson. Besides, there's half the dance team over there and there's gotta be at least one left you haven't slept with" she bit back, causing Sam to throw his head back laughing.

"You're right, there is one. But she's off limits, right Bucky boy?" he patted the guy's shoulder next to him, who would have definitely killed him if looks had that power. Bucky Barnes, Steve's best friend and a mechanical engineering major. A guy who liked to keep himself to himself, but an all-round pleasant guy.

"Do what you want, just know she's too good for you and probably wouldn't go near you" Bucky joined in, however his gaze shifted to the large group of girls in the living room. Wanda followed his gaze, seeing the girl that had caught his attention and relaxed slightly when she realised she was one of the only other girls she got along with.

"You like Violet?" she asked, and Sam just scoffed at the question.

"More like head over heels in love" he teased further, and Wanda found it quite endearing when the tough looking Bucky blushed bright red.

"Leave off Sam, go drink some shots off someone" Steve stuck up for his best friend, chuckling when Sam rolled his eyes and moved on to another group.

"Well I better mingle with the others. Feel free to help yourself to whatever we have and I'm sure I will see you soon" he smiled at the remaining group before heading off, throwing Nat a wink before being dragged into a game of beer pong.

"What is the probability that Natasha isn't coming home with us tonight?" Vision leaned down and whispered in Wanda's ear; his warm breath and rich accent sending a shiver down her spine.

"Incredibly likely" she managed to say, a slight squeak in her voice as she tried to calm herself down. She pulled her phone out and sent a quick message to Pepper:

_'Bring the conversation over here? Violet + Bucky'_ completed with a heart emoji. She quickly put it back, engaging with Nat while Vision and Bucky had found common ground in their interest of engineering. While Vision was more into fixing laptops than cars, the idea of fixing something as a whole had created a conversation that was way above Wanda's head. Within moments, she spotted the three girls heading over, Natasha picking up on the opportunity.

"Have the boys ditched you, Vision?" Hope asked while Wanda and Violet greeted each other. It wasn't hard to see why Bucky was mad for Violet. She had glossy chestnut hair with cute bangs separated by a middle parting, hazel eyes and legs to die for. But she wasn't like the other girls on the team; she was down to earth, selfless and always knew how to get a laugh from someone.

"They have, although I knew straight away they would when I saw the beer pong set up" he replied, smiling empathetically when Hope groaned. Scott was already wasted, much more and she would be dragging him back.

"You've met Bucky before, right?" Wanda asked Violet, and Vision finally caught on to what was about to happen. He never pegged Wanda to be the matchmaker type, but he couldn't help but smile at the joy this was clearly bringing her.

"Yeah a couple of times briefly" Violet smiled brightly at Bucky, and his blue eyes glistened in delight. Natasha took this as the chance to bring out the Bucky Barnes not many people knew about, and brought up a subject that was for sure going to bring them closer.

"You like books right Bucky? Well Violet's your girl, being an English Literature major" Natasha hinted, and Bucky's eyes could not have gotten wider if they tried. He was going to kill her for bringing that up, but his thoughts quickly changed when Violet's attention moved directly to him.

"Really? What's your all time favourite?" she asked, and he never thought he would be having this discussion with the most beautiful girl on campus.

"Erm, To Kill a Mockingbird" he admitted sheepishly, expecting to get judged massively. He was suddenly so grateful Sam and Steve had vacated the kitchen. His embarrassment soon turned to joy when Violet squealed in excitement.

"That's mine too!" she announced before delving further into the story.

"And that's our cue to leave" Natasha whispered as the remaining five started to walk into the hallway.

"Right who's up for seeing Tony fail miserably at beer pong?" Pepper asked just as Tony threw a shot so bad it bounced over to them and at Violet's feet. She picked it up with a grin and launched it on a whim, watching the ball bounce on the table and into one of Tony's cups.

"Shut up!" Tony yelled over while Bucky almost spat out his drink as Steve's team cheered and hollered.

"You know what, I'll take that. Impressive!" Tony held the cup up and downed its contents, the brunette just blushing at the attention.

"Is there anything you're not good at?" Bucky gushed.

"Definitely our cue to leave" Hope announced quickly and ushered everyone over to the ping pong table.

The rest of the night went off without a hitch. Wanda and Vision stayed glued to each other's sides, which definitely helped when the football team got a little too drunk and went on the prowl for any single girls. Vision was never one for embraces and physical contact, but his arm rarely left Wanda's waist the whole night; which brought a constant pink hue to her cheeks. Maybe he was just being a good friend, remembering what she said when they went for lunch. But she couldn't help but imagine them being together like this; how warm his hand felt on her waist, his soft touch that grew slightly tighter if someone didn't leave her be. It was welcoming and comforting, and she couldn't help but look at him with a bright smile.

As people grew more incoherent, Wanda started to become anxious. More people turned up, not worrying about boundaries and personal space. Thankfully, her comfort blanket picked up on her change of mood.

"Want me to take you home?" Vision asked her, making her jump slightly. She looked up at him with a grateful yet sad smile.

"I don't want to take you away from a good night" she tried to fight back, all the while hoping he did in fact go with her.

"Come on, let's say goodnight to everyone" the duo made their way around the place and said their goodbyes; Natasha announcing she was staying with Steve and wouldn't be back until tomorrow. Vision offered Wanda his jacket again as they stepped outside, wrapping it around her slim shoulders and smiling when she pulled it tighter.

"So how did you find it then?" she asked him, looking up to see him nod.

"It wasn't as bad as I imagined. How about you?"

"It was good. It was nice to get out and do something that's not school or dance" she giggled slightly. They spent the rest of the walk making small talk; about how Wanda started dance class in a small studio in exchange for cleaning, how Vision would take interest in anything techy and take joy in taking it apart only to put it back together again. They soon made it to Wanda's building, the brunette removing the jacket and handing it back.

"Thank-you for being there tonight, I had a really good time" she smiled brightly at him and he reciprocated the comment. She held her hand out and asked for his phone, putting her number in before her mind talked her heart out of it.

"Just you know… In case of emergencies" even she cringed at her poor example of an excuse to give him her number. But Vision chuckled and took his phone back, controlling his laughter and painted a serious expression on his face.

"Emergencies, got it. Take care Wanda" he nervously smiled and leaned in to quickly kiss her cheek. It's small, but it was enough to awaken the butterflies.

"You too" she whispered, heading upstairs to her room. She forced herself to remove her make-up and change into her pyjamas before collapsing on her bed; sleep engulfing her moments later.


	7. Chapter 7

_'Emergency. Unidentified male unconscious in hallway'_ was the first text Wanda received from Vision the next morning. A giggle erupted from her throat when the photo of Scott slumped outside his door came through to her phone.

_'Oh no. How will you find his owner?'_

_'I've just knocked on the door and I can hear his owner from my room. She's not happy'_ Wanda could only imagine Hope's fury at finding her boyfriend sleeping outside his dorm room… But it was too funny not to laugh. She got up to have a shower and she was halfway through changing back in her dorm when a very hungover Natasha walked through the door. Wanda quickly finished getting changed and made small talk; all the while sneaking a photo of her roommate clearly suffering.

_'Emergency. Unidentified hungover female. Poses a threat to the public. Do not engage'_ she sent to Vision and grabbed her bag, making her escape to work.

The duo continued to text while Wanda walked to the library, and she was pleasantly surprised when Vision walked in an hour after her shift had started. They stole glances at each other and soft smiles across the room while Wanda walked around and Vision typed furiously at his laptop. When it hit one o'clock and Wanda's lunch break, the brunette took a deep breath and sent a message off to her new friend before the nerves took over.

_'Emergency. Young female about to eat lunch on her own'_

When Vision's phone lit up and he read the message, he couldn't help the wide grin that was plastered on his face. He felt like a teenage boy as he quickly replied, not wanting her to feel like he was rejecting her.

_'Emergency resolved. Blonde male is happy to accompany her'_

Wanda giggled when she read the message, grabbing her bag and heading out into the main hall; Vision standing there with his things packed away ready to escort her. They headed to the same cafe as they had the week before, Wanda insisting on paying this time before they sat at the same table.

"So how mad was Hope this morning?" Wanda asked tentatively, watching as Vision visibly flinched at the question.

"So mad. From what I could make out, he left the room at two-thirty this morning to get snacks and water… he never made it back and she fell asleep before she could realise he was missing" he tried to stay serious, but the laughter couldn't contain itself and broke free of Vision's lips.

"Oh no, I bet he's grovelling right now" Wanda joined in with the laughter, feeling sorry for her friend. Wanda sipped her peppermint tea and hid her smile behind her mug. She could get used to these lunch breaks very quickly. Vision was fascinating, from talking about his degree to his time in England, he was full of facts and stories which made her smile without knowing.

"So when's your next game?" He asked her, admiring how the mid-afternoon sun glowed beautifully off her face, making her green eyes shimmer and her skin glow.

"We have a basketball game on Friday and a football game Saturday. It's the semi-finals for the football team, so a lot is riding on this one" she explained.

"Do you prefer a type of sport to perform at?" The blonde asked, wanting to know more about her passion.

"Football I guess. More coverage with outfits" Wanda admitted, automatically pulling at the hem of her shirt. Straight away Vision could tell it was something she didn't want to delve into, a subject she felt uncomfortable talking about.

"So is Pepper the only captain?" He changed the subject, mentally applauding himself when she smiled.

"No, she's not really a captain at all to be honest. Our captain is a senior, who liaises with the dance coach often. But they felt like we should have a younger leader to make freshmen feel more comfortable, so that's Pepper. Our senior is lovely though, and she wants Pepper to step into her place once she graduates so she's more than happy to hand over the reins from time to time" Wanda explained with a grin, loving every second of talking about anything dance related. "Most of the team are either juniors or seniors to be honest, and only fifteen to twenty get picked to perform. Us three and Violet are the only four freshmen that get picked regularly. I'm meant to take it as a compliment but… I can't help but feel guilty for the girls that don't make it often" she continued, looking into her now empty mug.

"I wouldn't. You've worked just the same as all the other girls, more so from what you've told me. Be confident in yourself, like you are when you're performing" Vision offered sweetly, his soft smile automatically lifting Wanda's lips into their own little grin.

"So what were you working on today?" The brunette asked, pushing the mug aside.

"Just extra work today. A bit more coding and tweaking a project Tony and I are working on"

"What project is that?" Wanda inquired, and she couldn't help but laugh when a cheeky smirk appeared on Vision's face. "What are you planning?"

"We tend to pull pranks on Scott, so we usually hack into his computer and create scripts to run. The last one, Tony made his laptop play… Shall we say erotic videos, when Scott logged in. It was all Tony's idea, nothing to do with me" Vision laughed at Wanda's shocked face and feigned hurt when she reached across to playfully slap his forearm.

"Vis that's terrible" she said through her laughter, not even registering the nickname she had given him. Vision just held his hands up in defeat, still chuckling.

"It wasn't my idea, I swear!" The laughter died down and the pair ended up softly smiling at each other before looking away bashfully. They soon made their way back to the library in a similar fashion to the week previous, with Vision watching Wanda walk back inside before heading back to his dorm. Just as he opened his door, he heard the one behind him also open; revealing a very hungover Tony Stark.

"Vision, I'm dying" he stated, not even waiting for Vision to answer before continuing. "I'm never drinking again, I seriously think I'm dying. Very slowly, very painfully" he rambled on, dramatic as ever.

"I'll believe that statement when the next party occurs and you don't touch a drop of alcohol. And as for your symptoms, they match a very serious condition actually" he turned around to see his friend's eyes widen.

"I knew it, I knew it wasn't just a hangover. What is it? Is it alcohol poisoning?" Tony panicked, and Vision tried with all his might to hold in his laughter.

"I wouldn't say hungover. What was the term for it? Oh I think it was 'hanging out of your arse'. Very serious, you should probably lie down" he mused as he walked into his room and shut the door, only hearing murmurs about him being a 'son of a bitch'. Vision unpacked his bag and changed into something more comfortable before finishing off his latest project. He put the plan in motion and successfully gained access to Scott's laptop. Once completed, he settled down for a quiet evening, jumping an hour later when a loud bang rocked his door.

"Vision I'm gunna kill you!" Scott's voice bellowed out.

_'Emergency. I'm about to be killed by an enraged male individual. Send backup'_

_'Emergency dismissed. You're on your own, hacker boy'_ despite the anger that awaited him, Vision couldn't wipe the smile off his face.


	8. Chapter 8

"So can we discuss the fact that both of you got escorted home by two incredibly handsome men last week?" Pepper finally took the chance to grill Wanda and Violet after the party last weekend. With rehearsals and lectures, there hadn't been much down time for the girls to catch up. Wanda's face heated up instantly as she tried to look anywhere but at the girls.

"It was all innocent, nothing happened" Violet quickly answered, and Wanda took the opportunity to jump on the back of that comment and agree. Pepper however, was not having it.

"So is that why they're both attending the game today with everyone else?" she raised an eyebrow and Wanda just shrugged.

"Tony and Scott dragged him to the last one, he probably got dragged to this one too" trying to act as calm as possible when her heart was pounding in her chest. Vision had been so sweet of course, asking if she was ok with him coming.

"And Bucky always comes to see Steve anyway, so he just tagged along" Violet too tried to play it off, looking to Hope for help.

"Don't look at me, I wanna know the details too" Hope teased and Violet just groaned.

"Well there's nothing else to add"

"Yet" Pepper added quickly before standing up and heading over to the team's captain.

"She's infuriating" Violet mumbled only to Wanda, who giggled and agreed before standing up and starting to warm up.

* * *

Out in the stands, Vision wasn't faring much better. Luckily Bucky wasn't as close to the guys he was currently with, so didn't have to face any grillings about himself and Violet.

"Did you slip a tongue in? Did your hands have a mind of their own?" Tony continued his questioning with no care in the world, while Vision was very aware of Pietro's flaring nostrils and ice gaze glancing over towards them.

"I simply walked her to her dorm, said goodnight and left once she walked inside. Nothing else happened" he purposely skipped the kissing the cheek part, mainly because it would give Tony ammunition and he would somehow make up a story to say that they were practically married from just a single kiss on the cheek. Before Tony could question any further, the game started and Vision let out a sigh of relief. Luckily everyone became invested, so he was free to relax and try to understand the game a bit more.

He enjoyed it a lot more this time around, knowing when to cheer and boo, how many points were earned and how the different positions played a part in the game. When half time was called and the girls stepped out onto the field, all the guys straightened up. Natasha just rolled her eyes, but then again, she had a whole other half to drool over her… long term booty call? She never knew what to call herself and Steve; she wanted to open herself up to him on a more emotional level, but she knew there was no way she could allow that. She knew he wanted more, he told her so many times, but she just couldn't. She shook her thoughts away as she focused on her roommate, smiling as she once again slayed the routine with so much attitude. Nat stole a glance over to Vision, who was entranced by Wanda's movements, and smirked to herself. She knew he tried to be sly with his affections, but she saw straight through him. It was cute really, and she had never seen Wanda show someone affection. It was nice to finally see her open up to a guy that wasn't her brother. Maybe she will take a page out of her book. Someday…

The routine was over too soon and the girls waved as they always do before jogging off the field. Once they were under the stadium again Wanda let out a sigh of relief.

"You were amazing as always!" Hope hugged the petite brunette; always there to give her reassurance.

"Thanks Hope, so were you!" she enthused as she sat down and took a large gulp of her water. They all took a seat while their captain and coach talked about the performance, the latter revealing the pick for nationals would commence after Thanksgiving during basketball games; with the final selection being picked just before winter break. As much as Wanda would love to have the opportunity to dance at nationals, she knew this would be highly unlikely; the juniors and seniors almost always getting first pick. But that was OK with her, her time would come. After their pep talk the girls walked out and watched the second half of the game, cheering on the boys even though they were down by quite a few points. It didn't look good, but that made them cheer that much louder.

* * *

"Is loverboy waiting for you?" Pepper teased Wanda after the game as they gathered their bags and headed towards the exit.

"Probably, he would have shared a lift with your loverboy" she poked her tongue out at the blonde as she opened the door, trying so hard not to blush when Vision was in fact waiting for her with everyone else. He sent her a bright smile as they headed over, waiting for her to greet everyone else and receive a bone-crushing hug from her brother. She eventually walked over to him, grinning so brightly his heart skipped a beat.

"Well done, Wanda. You were exceptional" he complimented her, hesitating slightly before giving her a quick hug. She hugged everyone else, right? Wanda instantly relaxed in his arms, however brief, and mourned the loss of warmth when he pulled away.

"Thanks Vis, I hope you enjoyed the game. Even though they lost which was a shame"

"Yes, well they played the best they could" Vision commented, not really knowing enough to make a full analysis of the team's performance.

"Hey Romanoff, you gunna hang around and turn Steve's night into a good one?" Tony teased with a wink, wincing when Pepper slapped his arm.

"Very funny, Stark. Actually I will be, but not for that reason" the platinum blonde gave him the death glare before saying her goodbyes and heading inside where it was warmer.

"I was quickly going to say hi to Steve, and then did you want to go to dinner?" Bucky turned to Violet, who's eyes lit up.

"You're offering me food, of course I'm going to accept" she answered matter-of-factly, saying goodbye to the girls and joining Bucky with a blush.

"Wear protection!" Pepper shouted after her, giggling with Hope while Tony just stared at her.

"So I can't tease Romanoff but you can tease Murphy? So unfair" he started moaning, continuing to do so as Pepper dragged him back to the car. They went in Pepper's car, Hope went in Scott's and Pietro set straight off for his evening run; leaving Wanda alone with Vision.

"Nice of them to offer us a ride home" she rolled her eyes and giggled, looking up into proud blue eyes that were staring down at her.

"I think we need to find new friends" he joked before continuing. "May I escort you home?" he offered her his arm and Wanda's heart fluttered at the endearing gesture. She happily looped her arm through his and beamed up at him.

"Yes you may" she giggled once more as they headed home.

The evening air was cool but Vision's side was incredibly warm, Wanda wrapping her other arm around his tighter and moving slightly closer into his body. He didn't seem to notice, or if he did he was too polite to say anything. Again they talked about anything and everything; about the new TV series Wanda was going to watch now that Nat wasn't going to be home, about a new video game Vision was excited to purchase, and about the upcoming holidays. They were both staying on campus along with Pietro- the three of them not having suitable homes outside of college. It was OK though, as Thanksgiving wasn't a holiday where they were from. They were just excited to have a break from lectures and essays.

Like the gentleman he was, Vision walked Wanda up to her dorm and watched her close the door before heading back to his room. He changed into more comfortable clothing and grabbed his laptop. He stared at the screen for a few moments before changing his mind and loaded Netflix; signing into Tony's account he so kindly offered the details to and loaded the TV show Wanda was enthusing about. After the first episode he was quite lost in what it was about, so decided to text Wanda and ask her opinion.

Across campus, Wanda was halfway through the second episode when her phone buzzed. She moved the popcorn bowl from her stomach and grabbed her phone, grinning and blushing like a madwoman at the cuteness of his text.

"I can't believe he's watching it" she said to herself, feeling giddy at the simple yet thoughtful gesture. Once Upon a Time wasn't what you would expect a guy who wrote code and hacked into his friend's computers to watch, but he was watching it because she was. She started typing out the general plot, but then thought calling him would be easier.

"Are you really watching it?" she asked, needing clarification that he was as sweet as she thought.

"Yes I thought I would give it a try. Tony gave me his Netflix account details ages ago so I thought this would be a good opportunity to put it to use" he explained. "But I'm not really grasping the concept. So is this real life or fantasy?" he asked so innocently and Wanda couldn't help the little laugh that escaped her lips.

"It's both. It's real people in a real town, but the residents don't know they're under a spell. That's when it goes into the fairytale part"

"Right OK I think I get it. I'm sure it will explain more in the next episode" he said, more to himself than Wanda, and started playing the second episode. "Sorry to interrupt your, as you put it, 'binge session'. I will leave you to it" he carried on with a sad tone to his voice. He had just seen Wanda, spoken to her the whole journey home, yet he didn't want to say goodbye. Neither did Wanda, so she came up with an idea before she could think about it.

"How about I stay on the line and we can watch it together? I'm fifteen minutes into the second episode" the brunette offered, hoping she didn't sound too silly.

"I would really appreciate that" Vision quickly accepted it, more just to hear Wanda's voice longer.

And so they stayed on the line for three more episodes until Wanda went very quiet on the other end. After repeating her name multiple times, Vision finally gave up and whispered goodnight before ending the call. This show was definitely something he wouldn't indulge in. But for Wanda, he was fast realising he would do just about anything.


	9. Chapter 9

Thanksgiving came and went, and more people than Wanda thought were staying on campus during this time. There were a couple from her class, one from Vision's and one from Pietro's; so they all decided to have a little get together in their dorm and make their own little dinner. They were all exchange students, so the conversation never ended with talks about their home country and different cultures. But the holiday was soon over, and classes and dance rehearsals were back in full swing.

"Urgh I'm about to throw this laptop through the wall" Natasha groaned as she slumped back onto her bed. Wanda barely stole a glance as she carried on typing furiously at her laptop; too engrossed in her essay to take notice of her roommate.

"Please don't" Wanda mumbled a reply, frowning for a moment before she continued her sentence. Natasha looked over and saw Wanda wasn't going to distract her from her essay on the Soviet Union, so picked up a small throw pillow and launched it across the room.

"Hey, just because I picked an interesting degree doesn't mean you have to assault me" the brunette joked as she chucked the pillow on the floor and continued writing.

"So when are you and Vision going to get it on?" Natasha changed tactics and smirked when Wanda finally took her attention away from her screen and shot a glare at her. Wanda tried her best to stay serious and neutral, however she had no control of her cheeks; the heat turning them pink in an instant.

"What makes you say we'll ever do that?" She asked in what was meant to be a firm tone, but again her voice gave her away and cracked halfway through. Instead of a vocal answer, her friend just raised an eyebrow before she closed her laptop and climbed off her bed.

"Right kiddo, I've got a lecture. Don't do anything I wouldn't while I'm gone" she commented as she grabbed her bag and shoved her laptop in.

"So I can do anything?" Wanda shot back, laughing when Nat held her middle finger up over her shoulder and slammed the door shut. She shook her head before she turned her music on and returned to her essay. She managed to stay focused for another page before her mind wandered. Of course she wanted something more with Vision, eventually. But they were both shy, both reserved, so what they had now was enough.

Knowing she wouldn't get much more of her essay done, Wanda decided to change into her dancewear and headed down to watch her brother train. Back in Sokovia, you wouldn't survive on the streets if you couldn't run fast. Wanda was never the best at running, so it was down to Pietro to steal what they needed. He ran faster than she knew anyone could, so wasn't surprised when he got offered a scholarship to multiple colleges in the states. But he went where she went, which deep down she was grateful for.

She made her way up the stands and took a seat; almost immediately making eye contact with her brother and waving a shy wave. Pietro responded in kind, a goofy smile plastered on his face. They soon called for a break, and the runner made his way up the stands. He barrelled into her, making her squeal with laughter and nearly fall off her seat.

"What brings you to this side sister?" Pietro asked, taking a generous sip of his water. He had been training for over two hours and he had barely broken a sweat. Wanda never understood how he did it.

"Just thought I would come and see my favourite person before rehearsals. How's training going?" she asked, snuggling further into her hoodie; the crisp early December wind sending a chill through her body.

"Not too bad, better than running barefoot through the streets that's for sure" he joked. Pietro always tried to make light of their childhood, something Wanda didn't necessarily like but understood it was his way of coping. The sound of a whistle pulled their attention towards the track, Pietro nodding before turning back to his sister.

"I better get back. You staying much longer?" he asked, standing up and grabbing his bottle of water. Wanda just shook her head as she watched him stand up.

"No, I'll probably watch one more drill and then take off. They're choosing who dances at nationals in the next few weeks, so I need to be on time and give my best" she explained. Pietro sighed and kissed his sister's head, letting the strands from her ponytail slip through his fingers.

"You always give your best, sister. You'll smash it" he grinned before running down the stairs and back out onto the track. As promised, she stayed for one more drill before heading off to the studio.

As predicted, everyone was on their A game; fighting for a spot in the one nationals routine the whole year builds up to. She could feel eyes on her from other girls, mainly girls from junior and senior year who only have one or two chances left to make it. Their next performance wasn't until Friday, yet they hadn't decided who was performing. Wanda knew she would only get to be at one event before Christmas, as the coach had decided to give everyone their chance out on the floor before he made the final call. She just hoped she was put into the same routine as the other girls. It gave her that extra bit of confidence when she saw Pepper or Hope out of the corner of her eye; gave her the courage to push that extra bit harder and give just a bit more attitude.

"I reckon they'll split us" Pepper expressed her thoughts as the four made their way out. "Coach wants us to perform what he thinks is our weakest style, and we have different strengths" she continued as she moved her bag strap higher up her shoulder.

"Oh don't say that. I'll definitely be in a hip-hop routine and I normally hide in those" Violet grimaced and threw her head back for dramatic effect. Wanda just laughed, knowing the girl's dislike for body ripples and any move that involved fluidity. She understood though, being ballet trained did hinder your ability to let your body move on its own accord.

"Wanda doesn't have a weak style though" Hope nudged the petite brunette in the side, knowing she hated compliments. As expected, Wanda blushed and tried to explain that she had a weakness too. Before she could come up with anything though, she noticed Vision leaning against a wall holding two take away cups. She couldn't help but notice how _good_ he looked. He wore a mid-length black coat that she hadn't seen before and a dark scarf with his golden hair pushed to one side.

"Oh Vision you shouldn't have!" Pepper joked as they walked over to him, the girls hanging back to let Wanda take the lead. Vision just looked down in slight embarrassment before he pushed off the wall and met them halfway.

"I'm afraid I only had enough hands for one extra" he admitted.

"That's OK, we know who your priority is" Hope teased as she gave both Pepper and Violet the side eye. Wanda narrowed her eyes at the look; sensing the cunning tone they gave off.

"Well we will leave you two to it, I'm sure you've got so much to catch up on. Bye now!" And with that, all three girls almost sprinted to Hope's car before Wanda could get a word in. She blushed furiously before she turned back to Vision and accepted the cup with a warm smile.

"I was going to get you a peppermint tea, but I thought I would be spontaneous and bring you a hot chocolate instead, with it being winter. I hope you don't mind" he quickly explained himself, nervous that she wouldn't like something different. What if she didn't like hot chocolate? She never said she disliked it, but then again it never really came up in conversation…

"Vis?" his new nickname brought him out of his thoughts as he looked down at the beaming smile on her face. "It's perfect, and you're very kind to get me one. Thank-you". Wanda took a tentative sip of her drink and cringed internally when the girls drove off, honking the horn for good measure.

"I hope I didn't take you away from any plans" Vision commented, knowing from last time the girls could walk back to their dorms from the studio.

"No you didn't. Hope just had a lecture right before rehearsals so wouldn't have made it if she walked. Did you get any work done at the library?" Wanda asked as they headed back.

"I did actually, just some programming work. How were rehearsals?" the blonde looked down at the petite girl next to him to see her frown slightly before replacing it with a smile.

"It was good. We've only got about three games left before the coach decides who goes through to nationals so everyone had upped their game. What were you programming?" Wanda pushed back, wanting to hear more about what he did. When he tried to brush it off and tell her it was boring, she wanted to know even more. She didn't want him to feel like he couldn't talk about his interests and hobbies around her; even if she knew she wouldn't really understand. But she wanted to understand Vision, because he was fast becoming an important person to her.

"So do you remember when I spoke a bit about coding?" he asked, and smiled softly when she nodded enthusiastically. "Well it's all through this system that essentially allows you to write any code you like. So I use it mainly to write a command, for example if this key is pressed then action this command. I use it a lot for when I… Access Scott's computer from my own-"

"When you hack Scott's computer?" Wanda teased, nudging him gently in his side and smiling wider at his bashful chuckle.

"Yes, that. But I'm currently working on using it alongside another project to receive alerts when someone is in close proximity. It's proving a little challenging but I'm making progress" he grinned, a hint of pride coming through as he explained his little side project.

"You can do that? Like if someone you didn't like was about to walk around that corner, you could quickly turn the other way?" Wanda asked in amazement as she gestured to the upcoming corner with her cup, not even realising such a thing was possible.

"In a nutshell, yes. There's obviously a lot more to it, but that's the end goal" Vision agreed before draining the remaining dregs of his drink and throwing the cup in the nearby bin. The pair continued their walk with small talk, often falling into a comfortable silence for a moment or two before the conversation was picked up again. All too soon they made it to Wanda's dorm, and before she could talk herself out of the next question, she offered for Vision to come up with her.

"Nat's out and I was just going to watch more of Once Upon a Time if you wanted to? You don't have to, I was just-"

"I would love to. Maybe you could enlighten me about this show, because I'm still quite lost" Vision chuckled slightly as he followed the brunette into the building and up to the first floor where her room was. You could tell straight away that two girls with differing personalities lived here: Natasha's bold, simple decor against Wanda's almost bohemian style made Vision smile.

"Are you OK if I quickly go and have a shower? I won't be long" Wanda asked as she gathered her things.

"No not at all" Vision smiled and watched as she hurried out the door before turning back to her side of the room. Their dorm rooms didn't offer much space, but Wanda had quite a few things organised. Her wall mainly consisted of photos attached to a string of fairy lights with a purple mandala backdrop. Most of the photos were of her and Pietro, with a few of Nat, Pepper and Hope injected in. There were a couple of images with what looked like a younger version of the twins with two adults. Vision smiled as he admired the playful Pietro clearly rubbing his knuckles along the crown of Wanda's head while she laughed. While it was a sweet photo, Vision couldn't help but feel sad that there was only one other photo of the four of them from when they were newborns. Wanda still hadn't delved much into her past, but these were obviously photos that had been through a lot by their crumpled and slightly torn appearance. His gaze moved slightly right towards her two shelves, filled with trinkets and other little items that Wanda must have collected over the years. He lifted a small dreamcatcher that was hanging off the ledge of the highest shelf, turning it over in his palm as he took in the intricate work. He hadn't even noticed Wanda had entered the room until her soft voice filled the empty space.

"Pietro made that for me when we were little. My mother used to make jewellery to earn extra money and taught him a few things. It took him months because he has no patience but he was so proud to give it to me" she offered a slight opening to her past, and Vision knew not to push. She would tell him if and when she was ready.

"It's quite beautiful" he complimented before hanging it back up as Wanda booted up her laptop and loaded the show. Vision waited for Wanda to sit on her bed first before taking a seat next to her. She moved the laptop so it balanced on one of hers and one of Vision's thighs and looked at him for confirmation to press play.

They managed two episodes before the day took its toll on Wanda, and the brunette fell asleep halfway through the third episode. Vision felt a weight drop on his right shoulder, not moving a muscle until the episode was over. Only then did he move the laptop slowly and carefully to the other side of the bed and shifted so he could rest Wanda's head on her pillow. He moved her feet up onto the bed before putting the laptop on her small dresser and grabbing his jacket; leaving the room and turning to make sure the door self-locked behind him.


	10. Chapter 10

Wanda woke up feeling disorientated the next morning. She didn't remember falling asleep, couldn't remember lying down on her bed. But then she remembered watching Netflix with Vision, his body heat radiating off of him and lulling her to sleep. She sat up at a ninety-degree angle and looked frantically around her room, not really sure why she expected him to still be there. He wasn't, and Natasha hadn't come home yet either. She grabbed her phone and her heart skipped a beat when she saw Vision had sent her a message last night, appearing to be around the time he left.

_'Thank-you for helping me grasp the concept of the show, I now have a complete understanding. Perhaps we could watch the show together again sometime? Sweet dreams, Wanda_'. The brunette couldn't help but grin and hide her face in her pillow as she read and re-read the message, the flutter of butterflies taking over her stomach.

_'Good morning. I'm sorry for falling asleep on you… Again. Definitely, I look forward to it. Have a good day, Vis'_. She quickly sent it before getting ready for her morning lecture; pulling on a pair of dark green camo leggings and a black short-sleeved sports top before heading out to the bathroom. When she returned and wrapped herself up in her long khaki coat and grey beanie hat, she glanced over at her phone and smiled when there was a notification.

_'Good morning to you too, Wanda. Don't apologise, your days appear to always be hectic. Any time spent with you is enough. Have a good day'_.

"Did you just squeal?" Nat asked as she stood in the doorway, unbeknown to the blushing brunette who did in fact squeal at the text. She was so shocked she nearly dropped her phone on the floor, only just managing to catch it between her fingers.

"Holy shit Natasha, you should be a spy"

"Who says I'm not one?" The blonde winked as she walked over to her bed, dumping her bag at the end and looking eager eyed at her roommate.

"Go on then. Who's got you acting like a teenager? Or do you squeal at my text messages too?" She pulled out a granola bar from her jacket pocket and took a bite out of it, her eyes never leaving Wanda. Instead of explaining, Wanda handed her phone over for Natasha to see the evidence for herself, blushing profusely while her friend just smirked.

"Wow, what a charmer. He's been around Tony for too long" Natasha commented as the phone was ripped out of her hand.

"He's nothing like Tony" Wanda fought back, looking at the messages again before placing her phone in her coat pocket. "Anyway I have to get to class, talk later?" She continued, smiling when the blonde nodded before heading out the room and off to her first lecture.

* * *

Winter break could not come fast enough. Wanda had two exams to cram for and the pressure of securing a place at nationals. She also had to wait until later this evening to find out if she was performing at the weekend, so she couldn't plan whether she could study extra. Wanda hated the unknown. She had spent half her life not knowing if she would be alive the next day, so finally having control over anything big or small in her life meant everything to her. She wished she was like Pietro: so forgiving, care-free and spontaneous. But old habits die hard, and Wanda was always an over-thinker and a realist as opposed to her brother's optimistic persona. However she had to push that all to one side as she practically ran from her lecture to dance rehearsals, only having just enough time to throw her bag in the changing room and catch her breath before they began. The girls smiled at her quickly before focusing, the coach being on the warpath trying to figure out who will be in what routine. They were performing three routines at nationals: contemporary, hip-hop and pom, and as Pepper predicted they were being split due to their weaknesses to determine who would be the best overall team. They were finally informed at the end of rehearsals after executing all three routines, announcing that Pepper and Hope were in the contemporary routine while Wanda and Violet would pair up for the hip-hop dance. Violet's face was stoic, however Wanda had to bite back the giggle that was building as she practically heard her internally screaming.

After rehearsals the four girls decided to grab a hot drink together to discuss the decision, all huddled around a small corner table as they cupped their mugs in their cold hands.

"I'm just praying coach puts me at the back or behind someone when he sorts out formation. If I have to do a body ripple front and center it's game over for me" Violet expressed her concerns, running her finger around the rim of her mug.

"I think you'll be just fine, I'm going to be optimistic and say we'll all make the final cut" Hope chimed in, forever being the reassuring mum of the group and offering confident smiles to the other three.

"Anyway enough about all of that, have you sorted out your secret santa presents yet? I have no idea what to get mine!" Pepper changed the subject and moved onto their Christmas plans before they split. Steve and Sam had announced they would host a pre-Christmas dinner, as the other guys they shared their frat house with were all heading home on that day. They then decided to organise a secret santa amongst the group, with a ten dollar limit. Wanda had pulled Steve, and apart from football she had no idea what he liked. She tried to be coy and probe Nat, however she knew straight away why Wanda was asking and gave her the answer "he's good in bed". Obviously there was so much more to Steve than that, but Natasha couldn't resist making her roommate squirm.

"I'm pretty stumped too" she offered to the girls, mentally moving the present to the top of her to-do list.

"I think I've sorted mine, I'm just waiting for one more little present to arrive" Violet informed the group, a relieved smile creeping on her face. Hope on the other hand was glowing, clearly having sorted her present with confidence.

"If you've got your boyfriend I'm calling the draw a fix" Pepper joked while nudging her best friend in the side.

"Are we discussing secret santa?" a voice appeared from behind Wanda and it took all her strength not to spill her tea everywhere.

"Nat! You need to stop doing that otherwise I won't make it past Christmas" she said while watching her friend drag a chair next to her and sit on it with the back pressed up against her chest.

"Have you sorted your present out yet?" Hope asked the newcomer.

"Yeah mine was easy" Natasha answered with a wave of her hand while Wanda rolled her eyes. Natasha knew everything about everyone, even if she barely spoke to the person. It was clearly a talent of hers, one Wanda wished she had during this particular time.

They continued discussing their holiday plans: Hope taking Scott with her to California, Violet going back to Virginia and Pepper joining Tony wherever his parents decided to have Christmas.

"Where are you going, Wanda?" Hope asked, and Wanda looked at Nat with a grateful smile.

"Pietro and I are joining Nat and her friend Clint upstate"

"He's a senior in another college, I spend every year with him. Neither of us have family, so we've formed one of our own. We've adopted two children this year" Nat continued, ruffling Wanda's hair in a playful manner when she referred to her as one of her kids. Wanda just laughed and gently pushed her away, groaning at the statement but still feeling overwhelmed with gratitude that she won't be spending another holiday on campus.

"That will be good! We've got Vision joining us too. Tony didn't want to leave him on campus at Christmas so it will be lovely to have him with us" Pepper told the group, but aiming it more at Wanda as if to tell her he will be OK. Wanda had to admit she didn't want to leave Vision when she didn't know he had plans. So knowing he would be with Tony and Pepper made her feel better.

Shortly after they all made a move back to their dorms, Natasha and Wanda agreeing to have a girls night and take an evening off from studying.

"So Steve keeps going on about his water bottle" Natasha started, continuing before Wanda could question why she had brought it up. "The lid cracked last week so now it leaks if it's tilted to the side. Apparently Sam got annoyed at something and threw it at the wall thinking it was his. I keep telling him he needs to get a new one but he never listens" she said absentmindedly, keeping all of her attention on the laptop screen. Wanda was about to question why she decided to tell her that, but then it clicked. So instead, she just smiled and nodded along.

"Yes he does, he can't have water leaking in his bag or anything" she agreed before both fell silent again. When the film finished, Wanda vacated Nat's bed and jumped into her own, seeing a text message from Vision. Immediately her smile widened knowing he was thinking about her even though they hadn't spoken much during the day.

_'I hope dance rehearsals went OK and you got the results you wanted. Either way, I'm sure you will excel and make the final ensemble. Let me know which game tickets I need to purchase. Enjoy the rest of your evening'_

_'Rehearsals went OK thank-you, I'm in the hip-hop routine next Friday with Violet. You don't have to come, however I find it very sweet that you want to support me. Speak to you tomorrow Vis, goodnight_' she replied before bringing up Amazon to search for a water bottle.

"That lover boy?" Nat's voice broke the silence and Wanda dropped her phone on her face at the intrusion. She groaned while peeling it off as her roommate just laughed.

"Goodnight Natasha" the brunette mumbled and squinted for a second at her bright screen before scrolling through her search results. She eventually settled on a blue barrel bottle with a white star in the middle and a red cap and strap, and ordered it so it would arrive just before their Christmas meal. Finally feeling some weight lifted off her shoulders, Wanda placed her phone on her bedside table and rolled over to get some sleep. Even though her roommate knew exactly how to push her buttons, she knew when to come through when it was needed.

Thank God for Natasha Romanoff.


	11. Chapter 11

Vision felt the pressure leave his body the second he walked out of that room. His final exam was over, and he could finally relax for a few weeks. Luckily the exams he had to complete were in subjects he excelled in; the ones he was less confident on being in an assignment format where he could review and edit his work. Wrapping his coat further across his body to avoid the bitter wind, he headed back to his dorm to finish packing for the holidays. Tony had insisted on Vision joining him, Pepper and his parents in Malibu, despite his multiple protests of the cost and overall extravagance of it. But one never says no to Tony Stark, so he soon relented and accepted the gesture for what it was.

The sky was already turning dark by the time he got back to his dorm, the winter well and truly settling into the city. He sent Wanda a quick text asking how the final game went; the brunette finding out the results for nationals after the final routine was over, before adding a few extra clothes into his suitcase. His friendship with Wanda was growing by the day. Vision would admit to himself he was quite an awkward person, but he soon found out that she was as well, and somehow that made them relax around each other. He knew there was so much more to Wanda than she let on, however every so often she would tell him something more: about how her mum would make paprikash every Friday night, how she would sit on her dad's lap and watch him while he completed the crossword, how Pietro would race her home and win every time. It was refreshing, and Vision basked in her happiness as she told these stories.

Once he was satisfied he had packed as much as he could, he moved onto wrapping his Secret Santa present for tomorrow. Vision had picked Scott, much to his relief as he was secretly dreading getting one of the girls. After a quick search he had managed to find a decent magic trick set, his friend forever trying and failing to pull a quarter from behind his ear. Just as he was adding the finishing touches, he heard a lot of banging and screaming coming from the hall outside his door. Vision moved the present to the side and got up, slightly taken aback when the knocks started on his door. The blonde had about a second to react before Wanda launched herself at him, only just managing to catch her as she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.

"I got nationals!" she all but screamed in his ear before leaning back and looking at him. Vision beamed and spun her around, revelling in the squeal she released before placing her down onto the floor.

"I told you you'd make it. I'm so happy for you" he grinned before hugging her once again, her petite body fitting in his arms like a glove. They only pulled away when Hope and Pepper barrelled into his room with matching grins.

"Am I safe to assume you all got in?" Vision asked, chuckling when the girls answered by hugging him tightly. His tiny dorm room felt even smaller when Tony and Scott joined the party, whooping and chanting "Daytona". Vision looked to Wanda for an explanation, the brunette providing the detail that nationals are held in Daytona Beach every year.

"You're more than welcome to come and watch, by the sounds of it these guys are coming" she gestured to Tony and Scott before continuing. "But it's in April, so I completely get it if you wanted to stay and study before exams-"

"I'd love to come" he answered without hesitation, smiling shyly when he realised how eager he sounded. Fortunately Wanda blushed as well, offering an adorable smile of her own.

"I'm glad, it would be nice to have you there" she responded, seeing his blue eyes glisten with pure joy at her answer. It was only then that she looked around and realised the others had left them to it, and that this was the first time she had been in Vision's dorm room. It was the same layout as hers and Nat's; with two beds parallel to each other, a small dresser at the foot of the bed and a desk at the head. However one side was completely bare, making Vision's personal touches stand out that much more.

"Are you not going to get another roommate?" she asked, taking a seat on his bed.

"Not that I'm aware of, but I guess it's always a possibility of getting a transfer or someone who wants to switch rooms" he shrugged in response, sitting next to her with a sweet smile. Wanda's gaze drifted around the room, her heart dropping when she noticed Vision had next to no photos on his wall. Whether it was just a girl thing to hang photos up she didn't know, but she couldn't help but think about his past, and whether he had no photos on display because he had no photos at all.

"So are you excited about going to Malibu for Christmas?" She changed the subject after noticing his packed bag on the other side of the room.

"It will definitely be different that's for sure. I'm just grateful Tony has allowed me to join him. What about you? I know you're not leaving the state but I'm sure it would be nice to get away from the city for a while?" Vision returned the question, watching as Wanda leaned back on his bed, propping herself up on her elbows.

"Yeah it will. As much as I love the city I can't wait for a bit of peace and quiet" she smiled brightly at him, but it falters a couple of seconds later. Her eye-line fell to her right hand as her fingers played with a loose thread on Vision's sheet.

"I'm going to miss you" she whispered so quietly Vision wonders if he heard her right. But when her green eyes look up at him and a sad smile crosses her lips, he can't help but reciprocate the gesture.

"I'm going to miss you too. But we will still talk, and before we know it we will be back here wishing we weren't" he chuckled, trying to make light of the situation. Wanda just rolled her eyes before she joined in, leaning in closer and wrapping her arms around his waist. Before he could move his arm to bring her closer, a banging on his door makes them spring apart.

"Wanda, we're heading off. You coming?" Hope called out from the other side.

"Yeah coming" Wanda replied before standing up, Vision following suit.

"See you tomorrow, Vis" she smiled sweetly at him, quickly pecking his cheek and running out before he could respond. Before the door could shut, Tony ran out of his room and into his.

"Why are you smiling? You get a quickie in?" Vision rolled his eyes at the question and put his hand on Tony's shoulder.

"Get out" he simply said, closing his door and smiling yet again.

* * *

Wanda and Nat turned up to the house the next evening, wearing their mandatory cheesy Christmas jumpers and a bag each which concealed their Secret Santa presents. Seconds after Natasha knocked on the door they were greeted by Sam, wearing a light-up reindeer jumper and a santa hat.

"Welcome to Lapland, ladies!" he announced, moving away and gesturing towards the house. Before he let them through though, he stopped them and pointed to the top of the doorframe.

"It's mandatory" he winked while Natasha rolled her eyes at the sprig of mistletoe. Before Wanda could even take in the new information, Natasha had grabbed her cheeks and pulled her in for a kiss.

"Happy?" the blonde asked as she pushed her way through.

"Very" Sam answered, letting Wanda through before closing the door and following them.

"Presents are upstairs in Steve's room, Natasha can show you the way" he carried on, yelping when Nat smacked him across the back of the head and made her way upstairs. The pair placed their presents on the bed, already seeing an array of gifts all wrapped up in various states of quality. Some were well wrapped with the edges neatly folded over and minimal tape used, others involved excessive amounts of paper and a whole roll of sellotape. Wanda giggled to herself as she looked around, trying to find her name on one of them.

"Come on, I'm hungry and ready for a drink" Natasha was already at the door, hand on the handle ready to close it. The brunette quickly made her way out, walking down the stairs and being greeted by everyone else in the living room. Wanda had to give the boys credit; they had turned their what would normally be a very messy and virtually impractical living room into a little grotto, setting up a long table in the middle with decorated seats all around. They had snowflakes dangling from the lights, tinsel around the walls and fake snow on the windows.

"I have to say boys, I'm impressed" Wanda complimented them, both Sam and Steve puffing their chests out at the ego boost. She scanned the room and saw Vision standing off to the side talking to Tony, wearing an adorable blue penguin jumper that somehow complimented him really well. Before she could go over to see him, she ended up in the doorway again with Sam smirking at her.

"This is going to get old really fast, Wilson" she mumbled as she gave him the quickest peck on the lips.

"This can never get old, Maximoff" he responded, quickly moving to the kitchen doorway and catching Hope standing under it. Wanda just laughed to herself before following him to get herself a drink.

After everyone's drink was topped up, they all moved into the makeshift grotto while Sam and Steve brought out all the food.

"You did not make all of this!" Pepper said, her eyes raking over the giant turkey, potatoes and a wide variety of vegetables. Before Sam could make up some lie about how they were domestic Gods and perfect husband material, Steve admitted they had help from their neighbour.

"But it's the thought right? At least we're not risking food poisoning" Sam backed themselves up, not wanting to admit full defeat.

"I don't care who made it, I just wanna eat it" Tony commented, raising his glass and prompting everyone else to follow.

"Merry Christmas you weird and wonderful lot, may Santa bring you great presents and lots of alcohol" he announced, everyone clinking their glasses together and helping themselves to the food. Wanda ended up sitting next to Pietro and Hope, with Vision directly opposite her being flanked by Tony and Violet. They all soon demolished the food, Pietro giving Sam a run for his money over how many plates of food they could eat. It was exactly what Wanda wanted, and what she realised she had been missing out on. After their parents' deaths, her and Pietro never really celebrated a holiday. They made each their own, from Pietro stealing a single rose from a bouquet on Valentine's Day to Wanda smuggling an easter egg under her too big dress for her brother. When the twins started working at the dance studio, their bosses were generous enough to give them a bonus around Christmas; either in the form of extra money or a little gift, but it still left them alone on the day itself. A sense of belonging and pure happiness was something Wanda craved since the first holiday after that fateful day. She looked over at Vision and smiled at him, making him beam in return. She knew he would be in the same boat, knowing what his childhood was like. Although she could imagine somewhere like an orphanage would try their best to make Christmas magical for the children there, she somehow knew this was the best he's had in a long time. She was extra thankful that she had someone like him becoming a huge part of her life. They were still young, still had their whole lives ahead of them, but she knew he would remain in her life in one way, shape or form.

Shortly after the food was eaten and the plates cleared away, the boys brought down the presents and handed them out. Wanda watched with one eye as Steve opened his, internally sighing with relief when his grin nearly took over his face as he examined the bottle. She then moved her focus to her own present, peeling back the wrapping paper and revealing a mahogany coloured wooden jewellery box, a red travel mug and a small box of peppermint tea bags. The jewellery box looked handmade and intricately crafted, with butterflies carved out across the lid and sides. Whoever pulled her name out clearly knew her, or asked Nat for tips, but either way she was thrilled. She said her thanks to no-one in particular, missing the small smirk Bucky had on his face, before her attention was pulled to Vision who had burst out laughing over his present.

"Sam, it's meant to be a _secret_ Santa" he clarified, holding up a laptop sleeve with Sam's face on.

"Hey who said I got you that? Maybe someone else thought you would appreciate looking at me every time you got your laptop out" Sam replied, feigning innocence.

"Well thank-you to whoever it was, I clearly wanted nothing more" the blonde joked, clearing away the wrapping paper and placing it in the sack Steve had brought in for rubbish.

Everyone else was thrilled with their gifts; while some people went down the funny route and others more sentimental, every gift had a lot of thought behind it. The group moved out into the kitchen, refilling their drinks and turning up the Christmas music. Sam's genius plan of having mistletoe in every doorway soon backfired when he ended up kissing Pietro three times and Scott once, pulling down all the sprigs in the house and banning the rule. After a catch up with the girls, Wanda and Vision were finally able to catch each other at the moment where neither were caught up in a conversation.

"I like your jumper" he complimented, Wanda looking down and pulling at the fabric on her black candy cane jumper.

"Thank-you. Yours is cute too. So have you enjoyed yourself?" she asked.

"I have, it's been a very long time since I've been a part of anything like this before. How about you?" he reciprocated, Wanda giving a similar answer while twirling her mother's wedding ring which hung from her neck. That was the only thing aside from the photos that Wanda and Pietro had of their parents, Pietro wearing their father's on his little finger. Vision noticed, but decided not to comment on it. He instead smiled a small, shy smile and rubbed the back of his neck in nervousness.

"I've bought you something, just a little something for Christmas" he told her as he walked into the living room where his bag was. Wanda followed, heading over to her bag and pulling out a small package as well. They both met in the middle and Vision blushed as he realised Wanda had also thought to get him something outside of the Secret Santa.

"It's not much, but I wanted to get you something. Merry Christmas, Vis" she handed over the gift, wrapped in a shiny gold paper with a red ribbon wrapped around it.

"I apologise for my wrapping, I'm not as good at it as you are"

"It's the thought that counts" she replied quickly, accepting the present. The edges were a bit crinkled and the tape had taken off a bit of the print from where he had stuck the tape down, lifted it and replaced in a different position, but it was nothing like a few of the attempts she saw earlier in the evening. As always their moment was ruined, Tony strolling into the room seconds later.

"Vision, as much as I hate to leave a party when it's not finished, we better get going. We're getting picked up super early" he explained, Vision just nodding and heading out to say goodbye to everyone.

"Have an amazing Christmas, I'll speak to you soon" he said, a sad tone in his voice as he hugged Wanda tightly, her dainty arms a comfort as they moved around his neck.

"Safe travels, text me when you land please" she asked as they pulled away, Vision just nodding before planting a kiss on her cheek and heading down the street with Tony, Pepper, Scott and Hope, who were also travelling to California for the holidays. The remaining five also left shortly after, Pietro heading off with Bucky and Violet as they were in the same dorm after they walked the girls back to theirs. They both got ready for bed quickly, wanting to get as much sleep as possible before a day of travelling. They were travelling themselves to just outside of the city before being picked up by Clint to drive them the rest of the way. Both of them checked their bags to make sure everything was packed apart from the things they needed in the morning, Wanda tucking her present between her clothes to keep it safe before climbing into bed.

"So glad I can get rid of that horrible jumper" Natasha groaned, shoving said jumper in the bottom of her drawers.

"It was a good night though, everyone made the effort" Wanda said, and even Natasha had to agree with her on that. They both soon quietened down, ready to escape the city and university life.


End file.
